Murrill to probe Orleans Juvenile Court, monitoring contracts

Less than 24 hours after issuing a statement criticizing the Office of Juvenile Justice and the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court for their potential role in allowing a violent teen offender to take part in a French Quarter murder, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill says her office will now launch an investigation into the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court's ankle monitoring contracts.

Murrill announced the investigation Tuesday in a video posted to Twitter.

"What happened to Kristie Thibodeaux was a tragedy and it never should have opened," Murrill said in the video, referring to the victim who was shot to death near the corner of St. Peter and Royal Streets two weeks ago. "I have opened an investigation by my Criminal Division into the contracting with the monitoring company to get to the bottom about why this individal was out on the street with a deactivated ankle monitor."

The 15-year-old is one of three suspects who were arrested in connection with that shooting. Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams issued a statement calling for reforms in the OPJC and the OJJ after a local news outlet reported that police discovered that the teen was wearing a disabled ankle monitor when they arrested him. Several hours after Williams released his statement, Murrill issued her own echoing the same sentiments.

"I am both saddened and outraged by the murder of French Quarter tour guide Kristie Thibodeaux," said in her initial statement. "This is clearly a broken system and it needs to change immediately. The ankle monitoring system is a complete waste of time and money if everyone involved is asleep at the wheel. And the consequences, as we have seen, are grave and irrevocable for victims like Kristie Thibodeaux and her family and friends. For starters, the Louisiana Supreme Court can insist on changes in the NOLA juvenile court system and the monitoring contractor should be fired. Excuses and lack of accountability are unacceptable."

Murrill continued by placing blame on the suspects' parents.

"Also - Where are the parents of these boys?" Murrill asked. "They need to be held accountable too. While I am working to help keep New Orleans safe, this is just another prime example of the dysfunction we are dealing with."