Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Criminal Justice topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District defender says 85–90% of caseload is drug-related, asks Winn Parish for opioid funds
Summary
Chris Bowman, district defender for the 8th Judicial District, told the Winn Parish Police Jury his office has 253 open cases — roughly 85–90% tied to drugs — and asked the jury to consider opioid funds to supplement attorney and staff salaries; the jury requested a written follow-up.
Chris Bowman, the District Defender for the 8th Judicial District, told the Winn Parish Police Jury on April 20 that his office is handling 253 open cases and that “about 85–90% of the cases are drug related.”
Bowman said his office employs six full-time staff (three attorneys and three additional full-time employees) and one part-time staff member, and asked the jury to consider opioid settlement or grant funds to supplement salaries. The jury took the request under advisement and asked Bowman to submit a formal letter detailing the funding request and staffing needs.
The request was made during the guests portion of the meeting; no immediate funding decision was taken. The jury did not vote on direct allocation at the meeting but agreed to review the formal submission when it is provided.
