Henry Weinstein, in yesterday's LATimes, explains that as many as 2,500 offenders, many of them arrested on minor offenses, remain in custody in Louisiana (several without being charged) following the destruction that Hurricane Katrina wrought upon the Louisiana judicial system. Which reminds me of a not-terribly-dissimilar situation that occurred in Mississippi following the recess appointment of 5th Circuit Appellate Judge Charles Pickering.
Pickering quit his position less than 1 year after his controversial appointment.
[ps: The primary funding mechanism for Louisiana's public defender's office is traffic citations!?!?! That is hideous.]
"Louisiana is the only state in the country that primarily finances its indigent defense through traffic fines."
