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Louisiana bill to alert public of juvenile escapees

“People want to know when there’s an escape and so we can be safe," says Sen. Pat Connick, R-Marrero.

NEW ORLEANS — A Westbank lawmaker wants to hold the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice more accountable when young offenders break out of any OJJ facility.

Tuesday, a Senate Judiciary Committee considered a bill by Sen. Pat Connick, R-Marrero that would require the public to be notified immediately after an escape.

He says it was inspired by a series of high-profile escapes in the New Orleans area.

“This has become such a big issue, especially in the New Orleans area in the area where I’m at,” Connick said. “People want to know when there’s an escape and so we can be safe.”

Connick referenced the case of 16-year-old Kai Jefferson who was on the run when police say he pointed a gun at a woman in New Orleans East and threatened to kill her.

He reportedly walked away from an OJJ halfway house last March and never went back.

The public didn’t hear about the escape until New Orleans police put out a bolo (be on the lookout) for his arrest.

Jefferson was later arrested in Georgia 10 months after he escaped.

“Nobody knew, the public did not know he had escaped, the media did not know he escaped and left the facility,” Connick told committee members.

Connick's bill would close a legal loophole that prevented OJJ from reporting Jefferson’s escape.

The measure would require the office to notify law enforcement and the media immediately after an offender, escapes from any facility housing juveniles.

That includes halfway houses and step-down facilities.

“It’s common sense to say if somebody escapes, this kid’s out there,” Connick said. “Let’s track him down and get him back to where he belongs. OJJ to say well we can’t tell you, was silly.”

Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams has been calling on juvenile justice officials to be more open and transparent when a juvenile inmate escapes. 

He thanked Connick for sponsoring the bill.

“When they escape, to me alerting the public, alerting the media, those are the partners that are going to help the community work together to get them back in custody,” Williams said. “I think it should have been a clear no-brainer.”

Last year’s escape by juvenile lifer Lynell Reynolds also sparked fear and frustration from the community and the family of Darrell Scott, the victim who was shot and paralyzed by the teenager. 

Scott’s grandmother Dorothy White says Reynolds had been back on the streets for nine days before the family was even notified.

“When that juvenile has escaped, it shouldn’t be a secret,” White said. “It shouldn’t be hidden. It shouldn’t be swept under the rug. We should know immediately and so should the media.”

After a short hearing, the Senate committee approved the measure.

“I see putting sunshine on what’s happening in the juvenile justice system will hopefully make some positive changes,” Connick said.

The Connick bill now heads to the full Senate for more debate.

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