Press Releases

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Judge Orders Louisiana to Remove Children from Angola Prison by September 15

BATON ROUGE -- A federal judge has ordered Louisiana officials to stop housing children in the former death row of Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola, and to remove them from the location by Sept. 15. The ruling, which Chief Judge Shelly Dick delivered from the bench, comes after...

ACLU of Louisiana Responds to DOJ Indictment of Sheriff’s Deputy for Brutal Beating of Justice Lab Client

There remains no question that Mr. Brown’s constitutional rights were violated when he suffered a brutal beating at the hands of officer Grant while being held in DPSO detention.

ACLU Challenges Six Year Detention of Salvadoran Asylum Seeker

The ACLU of Louisiana and American Civil Liberties Union filed a writ of habeas corpus in federal court seeking the release of Jessica Patricia Barahona-Martinez, a single mother and LGBTQ asylum seeker from El Salvador who has been held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention...

First Day of Hearing in Angola Prison Case Highlights Abusive Conditions Youth Endure

BATON ROUGE — Yesterday was the first day of a multi-day emergency hearing in which attorneys representing children — nearly all Black boys — incarcerated at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, known as Angola, are making the case for why emergency action should be taken to order the state...

Fifth Circuit Rules in Favor of ACLU Justice Lab Client, Sending St. Tammany Parish Police Misconduct Case to Trial

NEW ORLEANS – In a significant victory for police accountability in Louisiana, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling in the case of ACLU of Louisiana Justice Lab client Bruce Washington, a 54-year-old Black man and St. Tammany Parish resident who was illegally frisked...

ACLU of Louisiana’s Justice Lab Program Marks Third Anniversary with Landmark Win Against Racist Policing

NEW ORLEANS – Justice Lab, the ACLU of Louisiana’s campaign against racist policing, marked its third anniversary this summer, litigating its 55th case. Founded in June 2020 following the murder of George Floyd, Justice Lab works through litigation...

ACLU of Louisiana Condemns Veto Override of Bill Banning Life-Saving Healthcare for Transgender Youth

BATON ROUGE — The ACLU of Louisiana released the following statement in response to legislators overturning Governor John Bel Edwards’ veto of House Bill 648, a bill that bans gender-affirming care for minors and takes away parents’ rights to make healthcare decisions about their children...
Issue Areas: LGBTQ Rights

Emergency Filing Details Routine Solitary Confinement for Youth at Angola Prison

BATON ROUGE — New court filings reveal for the first time that children — almost all Black boys — are being placed in routine solitary confinement for 72 hours when they are detained in the former death row building of the nation’s largest adult maximum security prison...

ACLU of Louisiana Commends Governor Edwards’ Veto of Harmful Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills

BATON ROUGE — The ACLU of Louisiana released the following statement applauding Governor John Bel Edwards’ decision to veto several harmful bills that target LGBTQ+ Louisianans
Issue Areas: LGBTQ Rights