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Committee defers Jordan—ill to create independent correctional medical review board after concerns from prosecutors and sheriffs
Summary
House Bill 828, which would establish an independent correctional medical review board to investigate in-custody deaths, was voluntarily deferred April 29 after prosecutors and sheriffs raised concerns that the panel could interfere with criminal-homicide investigations and create parallel interview timelines.
Representative Jordan introduced House Bill 828 to create an independent Louisiana Correctional Medical Review Board charged with investigating in-custody deaths and reporting to the legislative audit office. Jordan said an independent board would increase transparency for families and improve the investigative record.
Zac Daniels, executive director of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, and Kevin Cobb of the Louisiana Sheriffs Association raised objections. Daniels said the panel—ould conduct interviews or obtain testimony on a timeline that might pre-empt or complicate law-enforcement homicide investigations and create a pool of Brady material that could complicate later prosecutions. "This independent body would be creating a pool of Brady information... that may actually be interviewing these witnesses before law enforcement gets to them," Daniels said.
Jonathan Vining, DOC executive counsel, noted that coroners already review every in-custody death and discussed the volume of cases (the department reference noted approximately 165 deaths in the previous year) and logistical workload the board would create.
Representative Jordan asked to voluntarily defer HB 828 to continue stakeholder discussions; the chair granted the voluntary deferral with no recorded objection.
