Louisiana’s Prison System Holds Inmates Past Sentence Completion, DOJ Says in Lawsuit
The US Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the state of Louisiana, alleging a pattern of “systemic overdetention” and routine holding of inmates in custody weeks or months beyond their scheduled release dates following the completion of their sentences. The investigation, launched over multiple years, reveals that more than a quarter of inmates scheduled to be released from Louisiana prisons have been held past their intended release dates since at least 2012.
DOJ officials argue that Louisiana has made “marginal efforts” to address the issue, which exhibits “deliberate indifference” to the constitutional rights of inmates. The attorneys point out that the “right to individual liberty” includes the right to be released from incarceration on schedule once the court-set sentence has ended.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and state Attorney General Liz Murrill attributed the issue to the “failed criminal justice reforms” of previous administrations. They claim the state has taken significant actions to keep citizens safe and preserve their constitutional rights, dismissing the lawsuit as a “last-ditch effort” by President Biden and anticipating that the incoming administration of President-elect Trump would not pursue the case.