Louisiana

Indigent Defense Assistance Board

Minutes of the Board Meeting

March 11, 1999

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Jones, Walker Law Firm

Members Present: Freddie Pitcher (acting Chair); Michelle Ghetti; Addison K. Goff; IV (by phone); Pike Hall (by phone); and Robert P. McLeod.

Ex Officio Members Present: James E. Boren, Anthony Champagne and Henry Walker.

Staff Present: Jelpi P. Picou, Jr.

Guests Present: Alyce Lappin and Deborah Maggio of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement.

Call to Order and Opening Remarks. The meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m. by the acting Chair, who welcomed members to the meeting of the Indigent Defense Assistance Board; a roll call demonstrated that a quorum was present.

Approval of Minutes of Previous Meeting. Mr. Walker moved that the minutes of the December 3, 1998 meeting be approved. Ms. Ghetti seconded the motion, which passed without objection.

Review of Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement grant procedure. Guests, Alyce Lappin and Deborah Maggio, explained the workings of the LCLE and explained in detail the entire process for receiving a Byrne grant administered by the LCLE.

Budget and Program Review. Staff gave a year-to-date update of the LIDAB budget and progress of each administered program.

Louisiana Public Defenders Association Resolution Discussion. Staff distributed the LaPDA’s November 6, 1998 Resolution, which asked the LIDAB to fund a “District Expert Witness Budget” on an annual payment basis. Mr. Champagne spoke of his district’s problems in funding for experts because of a decrease in revenues. Ms. Ghetti asked the number of active expert grants in the current fiscal year. Staff answered that the LIDAB had open files on 150 cases. Mr. Pitcher suggested that a limit be made on the number and amount of grants a district could receive.

Capital Post-Conviction Update. Staff presented a short update of pending capital post-conviction clients without representation and detailed the work of the LSBA post-conviction committee in attempting to persuade large law firms to take on a client in its pro bono program.

Other Business. No other business was discussed.

Adjournment. There being no additional business brought to the attention of the Board, the Chair entertained a motion to adjourn, which was seconded and passed without objection.