Post by SoulTrainOz on Jul 18, 2006 5:57:01 GMT -5
Two capital murder trials may be in parish's future.
By Vickie Welborn, The Shreveport Times
COUSHATTA -- When Interstate 49 opened in north Louisiana in 1995, not only did it provide a faster route to both ends of the state, it also moved a majority of motorists off of once busy two-lane highways.
That's been good and bad for Red River Parish, District Attorney Bill Jones said. On the good side, fewer drivers on the local roadways equates to fewer wrecks, but it also lessens opportunities for law enforcement officials to write traffic citations.
The drop in ticket writing, though welcomed by drivers, means less revenue for the parish's criminal court operations. And that's where Jones' concerns come in.
With one capital murder trial tentatively scheduled for January and the potential for another one looming, Jones is keeping a close eye on a dwindling court fund that can ill afford to handle all that is involved with such serious cases.
"It's going to be a struggle," Jones said. "We'll pinch and do what we can, and I will do what I can to help the Police Jury with the money that I've got."
Red River Parish, with its population of less than 9,500 residents, is not immune to major crime. But it's safe to say that high profile cases are a rare occurrence.
The parish experienced its first capital murder trial in March 2002 when a jury, selected in another parish, convicted John Dale Allen in the July 1999 stabbing death of convenience store owner Elaine Posey Oliver. The same jury sentenced Allen to death. It was the first death sentence to be handed down in Red River Parish since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
So far, that trial has cost Red River Parish $100,000, Jones estimates. About $70,000 came from the criminal court fund administered by the Red River Parish Police Jury, and another $30,000 from Jones' budget.
He's anticipating a similar bill when Roy Lee Williams, of Coushatta, goes to trial next year. Jones is seeking the death penalty against Williams, arrested in February 2004 in connection with the strangulation death of Avis Foster, also of Coushatta.
Whether to seek a third death sentence in yet another pending homicide is something that Jones will contemplate after this week's grand jury session.
The panel will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday to consider an indictment against Terrence Carter, 27, of Coushatta, who is charged with first-degree murder in the burning death of 5-year-old Corinthian Houston, of Natchitoches.
Jones said he first must know the grand jury's decision before making any plans to file a motion to seek the death penalty in that case.
While he still can't help but see the dollar signs of what's involved in the capital murder cases, Jones won't let that get in the way of his prosecution.
"I'm not going to needlessly spend money, but if it gets to a point that I need to spend money on something, then I'll do it one way or the other," Jones said.
Up until a few years ago, the criminal court fund had an average balance of about $70,000, Police Jury Secretary-Treasurer Brenda Jones said. She agrees with Bill Jones that the slow decline started after I-49 opened.
This year, Brenda Jones has budgeted $32,000 for the criminal court fund. But out of that comes salaries for court-related employees.
"The rest comes from our general fund," she said.
Last year, the Police Jury pulled $68,000 from its general fund to shore up the criminal court fund. Brenda Jones estimates the transfer of funds at $45,000, but realizes it could be more.
"It's going to be tough. That can totally destroy us," she said of the jury trial expenses.
As a safety net, Brenda Jones sets aside some proceeds of video poker revenue in a road/emergency fund that has a balance that hovers around $100,000.
"Technically, it's general fund money, but we use it for emergencies," she added.
Fortunately, the parish's video poker revenue is up this year, estimated to be about $45,000, compared to $30,000 to $32,000 in prior years.
There's no other means to build up the criminal court fund, Bill Jones said.. "It's gotten to the point that tickets are so high that I don't think we need to go up. We're a rural parish and it can be hard on folks. "> The truth is a lot of our funding is tied to traffic tickets."
Bill Jones said he is anticipating Williams' trial costs to equal or exceed the Allen trial because "I don't think things have gotten any cheaper."
The biggest price tag with capital murder trials is associated with the jury.
Jurors are sequestered, meaning from the time they are selected until the trial's end, they are kept together and away from outside influences.
They are provided three meals a day and separate hotel or motel rooms for the duration of the proceedings. They're also paid $25 a day.
Even those who are in the jury selection pool are paid $25 a day when in court. Having 250 people in the jury pool at $25 a day can cost $6,250 each day. Motel rooms at $50 a day for 12 jurors and two alternates adds another $700 a day.
A decision already has been made to select the jury for the Williams' trial in Caddo Parish and the transport the jurors to Coushatta to hear the case.
"The problem is the costs associated with the jury and the housing, but as far as me presenting my case, no it won't affect it. I'll do it one way or the other," Bill Jones said.
By the numbers
The Red River Parish criminal court fund is primarily fed through traffic tickets and court fines. Increasing ticket costs to shore up the dwindling court fund is not an option, Red River District Attorney Bill Jones said. Already, mandated fees tacked onto speeding tickets far exceed the actual fine. For example, speeding 68 in a 55 mph zone costs $209. The fine is $57.50. Mandated fees are:
$15: Clerk of court.
$10: Red River Parish sheriff's office.
$10: Red River Police Jury.
$10: Northwest Louisiana Crime Lab.
$35: Indigent Defender Board.
$20: District attorney's office.
$2: Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement -- deputy training.
$10: Traumatic Head & Spinal Cord Injury Fund.
$2: Courthouse Management Information System Fund.
$7.50: Ware Youth Center.
$10: Judicial Expense Fund.
$20: Police Jury compensation -- jury service fund.
Source : The Shreveport Times
www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060716/NEWS01/60
By Vickie Welborn, The Shreveport Times
COUSHATTA -- When Interstate 49 opened in north Louisiana in 1995, not only did it provide a faster route to both ends of the state, it also moved a majority of motorists off of once busy two-lane highways.
That's been good and bad for Red River Parish, District Attorney Bill Jones said. On the good side, fewer drivers on the local roadways equates to fewer wrecks, but it also lessens opportunities for law enforcement officials to write traffic citations.
The drop in ticket writing, though welcomed by drivers, means less revenue for the parish's criminal court operations. And that's where Jones' concerns come in.
With one capital murder trial tentatively scheduled for January and the potential for another one looming, Jones is keeping a close eye on a dwindling court fund that can ill afford to handle all that is involved with such serious cases.
"It's going to be a struggle," Jones said. "We'll pinch and do what we can, and I will do what I can to help the Police Jury with the money that I've got."
Red River Parish, with its population of less than 9,500 residents, is not immune to major crime. But it's safe to say that high profile cases are a rare occurrence.
The parish experienced its first capital murder trial in March 2002 when a jury, selected in another parish, convicted John Dale Allen in the July 1999 stabbing death of convenience store owner Elaine Posey Oliver. The same jury sentenced Allen to death. It was the first death sentence to be handed down in Red River Parish since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
So far, that trial has cost Red River Parish $100,000, Jones estimates. About $70,000 came from the criminal court fund administered by the Red River Parish Police Jury, and another $30,000 from Jones' budget.
He's anticipating a similar bill when Roy Lee Williams, of Coushatta, goes to trial next year. Jones is seeking the death penalty against Williams, arrested in February 2004 in connection with the strangulation death of Avis Foster, also of Coushatta.
Whether to seek a third death sentence in yet another pending homicide is something that Jones will contemplate after this week's grand jury session.
The panel will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday to consider an indictment against Terrence Carter, 27, of Coushatta, who is charged with first-degree murder in the burning death of 5-year-old Corinthian Houston, of Natchitoches.
Jones said he first must know the grand jury's decision before making any plans to file a motion to seek the death penalty in that case.
While he still can't help but see the dollar signs of what's involved in the capital murder cases, Jones won't let that get in the way of his prosecution.
"I'm not going to needlessly spend money, but if it gets to a point that I need to spend money on something, then I'll do it one way or the other," Jones said.
Up until a few years ago, the criminal court fund had an average balance of about $70,000, Police Jury Secretary-Treasurer Brenda Jones said. She agrees with Bill Jones that the slow decline started after I-49 opened.
This year, Brenda Jones has budgeted $32,000 for the criminal court fund. But out of that comes salaries for court-related employees.
"The rest comes from our general fund," she said.
Last year, the Police Jury pulled $68,000 from its general fund to shore up the criminal court fund. Brenda Jones estimates the transfer of funds at $45,000, but realizes it could be more.
"It's going to be tough. That can totally destroy us," she said of the jury trial expenses.
As a safety net, Brenda Jones sets aside some proceeds of video poker revenue in a road/emergency fund that has a balance that hovers around $100,000.
"Technically, it's general fund money, but we use it for emergencies," she added.
Fortunately, the parish's video poker revenue is up this year, estimated to be about $45,000, compared to $30,000 to $32,000 in prior years.
There's no other means to build up the criminal court fund, Bill Jones said.. "It's gotten to the point that tickets are so high that I don't think we need to go up. We're a rural parish and it can be hard on folks. "> The truth is a lot of our funding is tied to traffic tickets."
Bill Jones said he is anticipating Williams' trial costs to equal or exceed the Allen trial because "I don't think things have gotten any cheaper."
The biggest price tag with capital murder trials is associated with the jury.
Jurors are sequestered, meaning from the time they are selected until the trial's end, they are kept together and away from outside influences.
They are provided three meals a day and separate hotel or motel rooms for the duration of the proceedings. They're also paid $25 a day.
Even those who are in the jury selection pool are paid $25 a day when in court. Having 250 people in the jury pool at $25 a day can cost $6,250 each day. Motel rooms at $50 a day for 12 jurors and two alternates adds another $700 a day.
A decision already has been made to select the jury for the Williams' trial in Caddo Parish and the transport the jurors to Coushatta to hear the case.
"The problem is the costs associated with the jury and the housing, but as far as me presenting my case, no it won't affect it. I'll do it one way or the other," Bill Jones said.
By the numbers
The Red River Parish criminal court fund is primarily fed through traffic tickets and court fines. Increasing ticket costs to shore up the dwindling court fund is not an option, Red River District Attorney Bill Jones said. Already, mandated fees tacked onto speeding tickets far exceed the actual fine. For example, speeding 68 in a 55 mph zone costs $209. The fine is $57.50. Mandated fees are:
$15: Clerk of court.
$10: Red River Parish sheriff's office.
$10: Red River Police Jury.
$10: Northwest Louisiana Crime Lab.
$35: Indigent Defender Board.
$20: District attorney's office.
$2: Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement -- deputy training.
$10: Traumatic Head & Spinal Cord Injury Fund.
$2: Courthouse Management Information System Fund.
$7.50: Ware Youth Center.
$10: Judicial Expense Fund.
$20: Police Jury compensation -- jury service fund.
Source : The Shreveport Times
www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060716/NEWS01/60