NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – Attorneys who are fighting the proposed juvenile detention facility at Angola are hoping a judge will stop the plan.
A hearing on their request for a preliminary injunction is scheduled for September 6.
Attorneys are hoping that preliminary injunction is granted on what they call a poorly conceived plan to move juveniles to an area of Angola.
Chief U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick required the state to turn over its plans for the new facility on Tuesday.
According to one of the attorneys, Hector Linares, who is also the clinic professor at Loyola Law Clinic, said they had not heard from the state’s counsel as of 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Linares did say, however, the state testified that they would not move the juveniles before September 15.
“When we set out that day for that hearing, that was one of our goals to ensure that no youth would be moved before the judge had a chance to weigh in and determine whether a preliminary injunction should be granted, so we’re very pleased with the outcome of yesterday’s hearing,” Linares said.
The attorneys are also getting help from Loyola law students.
Linares, who leads Loyola’s Youth Justice Center, decided he, the staff attorney and the students would take on the case.
The law professor says attorneys have asked for class-wide relief.
“Our goal is to provide relief not just for one youth or the individual plaintiff but for all youths and make sure none of them get transferred to a facility like Angola.”
We reached out to the Office of Juvenile Justice, who said this is a temporary plan until a more permanent solution is implemented.
The spokeswoman also said OJJ believes the plan is compliant with the law and is the best option available at this time to maintain the safety of the youth, staff and community.