NEW ORLEANS — The offices of the Orleans Parish District Attorney sit a stone's throw away from the nearly century-old criminal courthouse.
On Monday, after new District Attorney Jason Williams was sworn in, he said there is a new way of doing business at the DA's office, and that means some cases might never make it onto a docket in the old building.
“We will no longer clog up court dockets with cases that arise out of addiction and mental illness and homelessness,” Williams said.
During his campaign for DA, Williams took aim at his predecessor, Leon Cannizzaro, and tactics he said focused more on racking up convictions.
“Fighting for victims does not mean stacking up convictions. Fighting for victims does not mean using police and prosecutorial power to intimidate those caught up in the legal system,” Williams said during his inaugural address.
Williams spent much of his time between his Dec. 5 runoff victory and his inauguration interviewing current prosecutors who had to re-apply for their jobs.
He takes office during a time when the city is experiencing a spike in crime, but Williams said that while his policies are far more progressive than his predecessors, he won't stand for violent crime and said those found guilty of it will face consequences.
“To be clear … we will hold people who harm this community accountable. Let me say that again. We will hold people who harm this community accountable,” he said.
Williams takes over the DA's office at an awkward time professionally and personally.
He is facing an 11-count tax fraud case in federal court. He denies the charges, saying they're bogus, but it will be the first prosecution the prosecutor has to face.
