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Posted 9:22 AM 9/18/2025 by Bess Casserleigh & Logan Cullop

The WBRZ Investigative Unit has obtained a list of more than 300 former law enforcement officers who, for various reasons, have been officially barred from working in law enforcement in Louisiana.

The process of decommissioning an officer is governed by the Peace Officer Standards and (More)

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Posted 6:20 PM 9/16/2025 by Bess Casserleigh

A woman who accused an Ascension parish-area softball coach of molesting her in 2017 is speaking up about the plea deal he received this week.

Jermaine Miles (More)...

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Posted 4:25 AM 9/16/2025 by WBRZ Staff

BATON ROUGE — The facility manager of LSU's Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices was arrested by campus police after he allegedly stole equipment from the university. 

According to arrest records, David Thomas Kleinpeter was arrested on Monday morning. An initial (More)

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Posted 6:54 PM 9/12/2025 by Bess Casserleigh

BATON ROUGE — In the wake of a campus-wide lockdown and evacuation for a threat, Southern University was quiet Friday afternoon.

Currently, and through the weekend, the only people allowed on campus are students who live here and essential employees like the dining hall staff. All (More)

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Posted 6:30 PM 9/9/2025 by Bess Casserleigh

PORT ALLEN — Following the suspected drug-related deaths of four inmates in the West Baton Rouge Detention Center this year, the Sheriff's Office is trying to determine how drugs keep getting inside the facility.

"We think it's high for a typical year," said Sheriff Jeff Bergeron (More)

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Posted 6:23 PM 9/8/2025 by Bess Casserleigh

PORT ALLEN — Smuggled-in drugs continue to cause serious problems in what is supposed to be a secure facility.

26-year-old Nicholas Henderson was found dead in his lockdown isolation cell Sunday at the West Baton Rouge Parish Jail. Henderson's is the fourth inmate death in the (More)

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Posted 7:51 PM 9/5/2025 by WBRZ Staff

BATON ROUGE — Scotlandville Magnet High School Principal Paul Jackson, who has worked at the school for more than a decade, was put on administrative leave Friday after a fight at the school, sources told WBRZ. 

The students involved in the fight are also being disciplined (More)

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Posted 7:12 PM 9/3/2025 by Bess Casserleigh

BATON ROUGE - A woman claims she was sexually assaulted by Donald Steele earlier this year. 

WBRZ has agreed to conceal the woman's identity at her request and will refer to her as Savannah. 

Savannah reached out to the WBRZ investigative unit to share her interaction with (More)

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Posted 12:03 PM 9/4/2025 by Domenic Purdy

WHITE CASTLE — White Castle Fire Department Fire Chief John Marque allegedly battered one of the department's firefighters, White Castle Police Chief Harold Brooks said Tuesday. 

Marque was issued a misdemeanor summons for the alleged attack on an on-duty firefighter, Brooks (More)

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Posted 6:07 PM 8/31/2025 by Bess Casserleigh

BATON ROUGE - In a little more than a week, former Baton Rouge police officer Donald Steele will be sentenced on a malfeasance in office conviction following a complicated, years-long legal process.

From the beginning, the case has been mired in controversy and judicial missteps that have (More)

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Posted 5:45 PM 8/26/2025 by Bess Casserleigh

ROSELAND - A text message is how the majority of employees at Smitty's found out they no longer had jobs.

"Just a FYI as of friday the 22nd everyone has been laid off," the message sent Monday evening read. 

The former employee who shared it with us says it came from her (More)

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Posted 5:58 PM 8/25/2025 by Bess Casserleigh

ROSELAND — While the public waits for an explanation into what caused a massive explosion at Smitty's in Roseland, a former employee tells the WBRZ Investigative Unit it was only a matter of time.

The employee, whom we will refer to by her last name, 'Padilla,' worked as an (More)