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@richardawebster

Senior reporter @veritenewsnola, ProPublica Local Reporting Network, former Times-Picayune investigative team, http://rawwriting.com, rwebster@veritenews.org

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11.03.2025
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Latest posts by @richardawebster

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'Itโ€™s a nightmare': Kenner family fights to reunite, clear name in the wake of Catahoula Crunch - Verite News New Orleans Wilmer Guevara Brito was in the country on a humanitarian parole program that covered hundreds of thousands of immigrants. But Trump pulled the plug on it last year. And he was picked up during operat...

From @veritenews.org Wilmer Guevara Brito was in the country on a humanitarian parole program that covered hundreds of thousands of immigrants. But Trump pulled the plug on it last year. And Guevara Brito was picked up during operation Catahoula Crunch. veritenews.org/2026/02/27/c...

02.03.2026 17:41 ๐Ÿ‘ 5 ๐Ÿ” 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Toxic tap: Lead detected in 6 of 10 New Orleans homes' water Because of contract disputes, cost and legislative hurdles, it will likely take years before the remainder of the cityโ€™s tens of thousands of lead pipes are replaced. In the meantime, experts say resi...

Because of contract disputes, cost and legislative hurdles, it will likely take years before the remainder of the cityโ€™s tens of thousands of lead pipes are replaced. from @veritenews.org @halleparker.bsky.social veritenews.org/2026/02/19/e...

19.02.2026 20:18 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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A glimpse at Edna Karr marching bandโ€™s 2026 Carnival season Karr is widely regarded as one of the best marching bands in New Orleans.

@veritenews features famed Edna Karr band as it prepares for Mardi Gras veritenews.org/2026/02/16/e...

19.02.2026 15:49 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Medgar Eversโ€™ killer was a Klansman, but Trump administration says stop calling him a racist - Verite News New Orleans The National Park Service has removed visitor brochures from the Medgar & Myrlie Evers Home National Monument. Among the anticipated changes? No longer calling his murderer a โ€œracist.โ€

The National Park Service has removed visitor brochures from the Medgar & Myrlie Evers Home National Monument. Among the anticipated changes? No longer calling his murderer a โ€œracist.โ€ veritenews.org/2026/02/05/m...

05.02.2026 17:42 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Unsafe lead levels found in half of New Orleans playgrounds Verite News tested lead levels at more than 80 parks. Even trace amounts of the toxic metal can cause learning problems and behavioral issues in children.

@veritenews.org @tristanbaurick.bsky.social @halleparker.bsky.social tested lead levels at more than 80 New Orleans parks. Even trace amounts of the toxic metal can cause learning problems and behavioral issues in children. Read the results here: veritenews.org/2026/02/05/p...

05.02.2026 14:45 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Louisiana Paroles Its Lowest Number of Prisoners in 20 Years Under Gov. Jeff Landry The state parole board freed 185 prisoners during Landryโ€™s tenure, compared with 858 in the two years before he took office. Hundreds who would have been released under previous governors remain incar...

Vital local reporting: Louisiana Paroles Its Lowest Number of Prisoners in 20 Years Under Gov. Jeff Landry, by @richardawebster.bsky.social @veritenews.org

27.01.2026 14:15 ๐Ÿ‘ 14 ๐Ÿ” 5 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Louisiana Paroles Its Lowest Number of Prisoners in 20 Years Under Gov. Jeff Landry The state parole board freed 185 prisoners during Landryโ€™s tenure, compared with 858 in the two years before he took office. Hundreds who would have been released under previous governors remain incar...

10โ€“Read the full story here: www.propublica.org/article/loui...

27.01.2026 13:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

9--โ€œThis equates to more complex cases being considered by the Committee on Parole,โ€ Abbott said in a statement. The Landry administration did not respond to requests for comment.

27.01.2026 13:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

8--Francis Abbott, director of the parole board, said people convicted of violent crimes and sex offenses now make up a higher percentage of the stateโ€™s prison population, which has resulted in fewer parole hearings and approvals.

27.01.2026 13:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

7--โ€œTough on crime doesnโ€™t work,โ€ a former Louisiana parole board member said about Landryโ€™s new policy. โ€œAll it produces is mass incarceration, which costs us more than rehabilitating the individual and making them taxpayers, not tax burdens.โ€

27.01.2026 13:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

6--Louisianaโ€™s prison population will nearly double in six years because of the stateโ€™s changes to parole, one expert estimates. It costs $37K a year to house an inmate compared with $2.2K a year for parole supervision.

27.01.2026 13:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

5โ€”Landry also appointed five new people to the seven-member board, including ex-Sheriff Steve Prator, who once said prior criminal justice reforms would release โ€œgoodโ€ inmates whom prisons depended on โ€œto wash carsโ€ and โ€œcook in the kitchen.โ€

27.01.2026 13:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

4โ€”These changes caused the number of parole applications to dramatically fall. In the two years prior to Landryโ€™s Jan 2024 inauguration, the board held 1,785 hearings. That number dropped to 714 since Landry became governor.

27.01.2026 13:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

3โ€”Landry and his fellow Republicans in the state Legislature overhauled Louisianaโ€™s parole system through a 2024 law that banned parole altogether for anyone convicted after Aug. 1 of that year, and instituted strict eligibility requirements for those already incarcerated.

27.01.2026 13:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Louisiana paroles lowest number of prisoners in 20 years The state parole board freed 185 prisoners during Landryโ€™s tenure, compared with 858 in the two years before he took office. Hundreds who would have been released under previous governors remain incar...

2โ€”That 78% drop means hundreds of people who wouldโ€™ve been released under previous governors remain incarcerated with little chance of parole. veritenews.org/2026/01/27/l...

27.01.2026 13:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

1--Louisianaโ€™s parole board freed 185 prisoners during Gov. Jeff Landryโ€™s tenure, down from 858 in the two years before he took office, according to an analysis by @veritenews.org and @propublica.org . THREAD

27.01.2026 13:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 3 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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Europe gets โ€˜green energyโ€™. These Southern towns get dirty air. In Louisiana and Mississippi, people living near wood-pellet mills say theyโ€™re getting sick because of air pollution.

Important story from @tristanbaurick.bsky.social @veritenews.org In Louisiana and Mississippi, people living near wood-pellet mills say theyโ€™re getting sick. veritenews.org/2026/01/23/d...

23.01.2026 16:52 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Jimmie Duncan, Louisiana death row inmate released on bail, could still face execution Months after a judge tossed out his 1998 murder conviction, Jimmie Duncan is free on bail. But prosecutors have asked the Louisiana Supreme Court to reinstate the death penalty for Duncan, even as the...

Jimmie Duncan walked out of the Ouachita Parish jail last week and into the arms of his parents after spending 27 years on death row. But Duncanโ€™s journey to freedom is far from over. Prosecutors want to reinstate his death sentence. @propublica.org @veritenews.org veritenews.org/2025/12/03/j...

03.12.2025 19:39 ๐Ÿ‘ 95 ๐Ÿ” 30 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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A fatherโ€™s immigration arrest leads family to leave U.S. Here's what happened to one of the people arrested at the Harvey shipyard ICE immigration raid and his family.

They left Honduras to save their daughtersโ€™ lives. Now they must return to stay together as U.S. Border Patrol agents prepare for Louisiana surge. @veritenews.org veritenews.org/2025/11/28/i...

29.11.2025 18:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 5 ๐Ÿ” 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Louisiana Made It Nearly Impossible to Get Parole. Now Itโ€™s Releasing Prisoners to Deport Them. Gov. Jeff Landry eliminated parole for prisoners arrested after Aug. 1, 2024, and tightened eligibility rules for those already in prison. Then he set all of that aside for one group: undocumented imm...

5. Louisiana paroled nine prisoners to deport them. We found that at least two have been deported, while two others are being held at a new immigration detention facility. But neither ICE nor the Landry admin would answer questions about the other five. www.propublica.org/article/loui...

24.11.2025 14:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

4. To help fulfill Trumpโ€™s mass deportation agenda, Louisiana has taken aggressive steps to deliver. These actions include granting state agencies the authority to conduct certain ICE duties and paroling prisoners in order to deport them.

24.11.2025 14:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

3. One woman said her father called in June to say he was going to be paroled after serving 20 years for car theft. Then in September, she got another call: He was instead being transferred to await deportation.

It was the last time she heard from him.

24.11.2025 14:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Louisiana is paroling prisoners in order to deport them Gov. Jeff Landry eliminated parole for prisoners arrested after Aug. 1, 2024, and tightened eligibility rules for those already in prison. Then he set all of that aside for one group: undocumented imm...

2. One by one, each of the nine prisoners appeared virtually before a special panel of the Louisiana parole board.

โ€œToday youโ€™ve been paroled,โ€ the chair said at the end of every hearing, โ€œto go straight into an ICE facility for deportation.โ€
veritenews.org/2025/11/24/l...

24.11.2025 14:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

1. Louisianaโ€™s governor eliminated parole for prisoners arrested after Aug. 1, 2024, and tightened eligibility rules for those arrested before. Then he tossed those rules aside for one group: undocumented immigrants. Why? To have them deported. @veritenews.org @propublica.org

24.11.2025 14:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Jimmie Duncan granted bail Jimmie Duncan was convicted of murder and sentenced to death 27 years ago. But this year, a judge vacated the verdict, finding that the state's case against him was rooted in debunked 'junk science.'

After more than 25 years on death row, Jimmie Duncan inched one step closer to freedom Friday when Judge Alvin Sharp in Ouachita Parish granted him bail, setting it at $150,000. @veritenews.org @propublica.org veritenews.org/2025/11/21/j...

21.11.2025 22:57 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 2 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Off the Record: Verite News Meet and Greet Join Verite News for an off-the-record conversation about our city, our coverage, and the people behind both.

Join @veritenews.org tomorrow for an off-the-record conversation about our city, our coverage, and the people behind both. Wednesday, Nov. 12 from 4 to 6 p.m. at The Tchoup Yard, 405 Third St., New Orleans. www.eventbrite.com/e/off-the-re...

11.11.2025 16:07 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Louisiana Is trying to block Lloyd Gray from seeking freedom Five years ago, the Supreme Court decided that nonunanimous jury verdicts are unconstitutional. But for Lloyd Gray โ€” and hundreds of other Louisiana prisoners โ€” โ€œtough on crimeโ€ state leaders have ens...

See our previous reporting in partnership with @propublica.org here: veritenews.org/2025/08/25/l...

31.10.2025 15:48 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Judge rules that Lloyd Gray, convicted by a nonunanimous decision, can continue his bid for freedom - Verite News New Orleans Gray, convicted by a 10-2 jury vote, remains in prison five years after the Supreme Court ruled such verdicts unconstitutional.

A Louisiana judge ruled Thursday that a hearing will be held to consider whether a swastika drawn on Lloyd Gray's DA file infected his case with racial bias. @veritenews.org veritenews.org/2025/10/30/l...

31.10.2025 15:33 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Blood and death were part of the jobโ€”something worse came after "Are you OK with blood and guts?" My answer would change my life.

In this incredible piece for @newsweek.com , Henrick Karoliszyn details his own experience as a crime reporter to highlight the need for mental health care services among journalists, and freelancers in particular. Please read and share. www.newsweek.com/crime-report...

29.10.2025 16:33 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Deep South Today to launch regional investigative reporting center in collaboration with The New Yorkย Times The Deep South Today Investigative Reporting Center, a new partnership with The New York Times, will launch in early 2026.

Deep South Today to launch regional investigative reporting center in collaboration with The New Yorkย Times

The Deep South Today Investigative Reporting Center, a new partnership with The New York Times, will launch in early 2026.

14.10.2025 14:00 ๐Ÿ‘ 5 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0