Richard A. Webster (Verite News)
Before coming to Verite News, Richard A. Webster spent the past two and a half years as a member of ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network. He investigated allegations of abuse against the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and claims of racial and economic inequities within Louisiana’s Road Home recovery program following Hurricane Katrina.
Webster previously was a member of The Times-Picayune’s investigative team, reporting on numerous special projects including “The Children of Central City,” an in-depth look at childhood trauma through the lens of a youth football team; “A Fragile State,” a multi-part series on Louisiana’s mental health care system; and “Dying at OPP,” which examined the deaths of inmates in Orleans Parish Prison.
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Louisiana deputy who slammed a Black woman on the pavement was named in multiple suits, records showJulio Alvarado, a Jefferson Parish deputy who was seen on video violently dragging a woman by the hair, has been named in nine federal civil rights lawsuits, all involving the use of excessive force. This is the most of any deputy currently employed. -
Black residents of Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish have long accused the Sheriff’s Office of targeting them. A new video, which shows a deputy slamming a Black woman’s head into the ground, raises more questions. -
Despite years of complaints against the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the DOJ has not stepped in to help. Following our investigation, the ACLU renews the call to action and has asked the DOJ to launch an investigation. -
After Hurricane Ida, elected officials, local law enforcement, the Louisiana National Guard, religious groups and volunteers have attempted to meet the immediate needs — ice, water, food and fuel — of those in Louisiana's bayou communities, but housing remains foremost. -
The storm-related death toll from Hurricane Ida has risen to 10, according to numbers released Friday by the Louisiana Department of Health. -
For some bars in the French Quarter, staying open — even without tourists — is the best option after Hurricane Ida. -
Aside from the return of power, the greatest needs for those New Orleanians attempting to survive the devastation of Hurricane Ida are gas, food, ice, water and cash to purchase supplies. And though the city so far has been unable to assist with either gas or cash, beginning on Tuesday it set up daily food and supply distribution sites throughout the city.
