Renee Gill Pratt Trial: Continuing Coverage

12:38 PM CDT, July 27, 2011

Kaare Johnson: End of the Jefferson era

When former State Representative and City Council President Renee Gill Pratt was found guilty for conspiring to loot Central City Charities this week, it marked the end of an era.  Not so much the Gill Pratt era, but the era of Bill Jefferson and his Progressive Democrats. 

2:55 PM CDT, July 25, 2011

Renee Gill Pratt Guilty

After two hours of deliberation, a jury found former councilwoman and State Rep. Renee Gill Pratt guilty of one count of conspiring to violate the RICO Act.

July 15, 2011

Angela Coleman Too Sick To Testify Against Renee Gill Pratt

Today Angela Coleman was too sick to testify against Renee Gill Pratt. Sitting outside the courtroom, visibly in pain, Coleman was sent home. Her mother Betty Jefferson says they recently found out Coleman has an illness, but still are unsure what it is. Next week a judge will decide if Coleman will testify or if her prior testimony will be used.

7:01 PM CDT, July 14, 2011

Betty Jefferson Testifies Against Renee Gill Pratt

The most powerful testimony of the day came from Betty Jefferson. She sat in the witness box distraught, saying she had recently found out her daughter Angela Coleman is fighting an illness and said she still did not know what the illness was.

6:33 PM CDT, July 13, 2011

Day One Wraps In Gill Pratt Charity Ripoff Trial

A second trial began on Wednesday for former Louisiana lawmaker Renee Gill Pratt, whose first trial ended earlier this year in a hung jury.

5:52 PM CDT, July 12, 2011

Jury Selection Wraps For Gill Pratt Retrial

Jury selection wrapped up Tuesday afternoon at federal court in New Orleans for the retrial of former Councilwoman and State Rep. Renee Gill Pratt. U.S. District Court Judge Ivan Lemelle spent the day individually questioning potential jurors, eventually narrowing the pool of 90 to 12.

6:12 PM CDT, July 11, 2011

Former Councilwoman Returns To Federal Court On Charity Ripoff Charges

For the second time this year former New Orleans Councilwoman and State Rep. Renee Gill Pratt reported to federal court for trial.

February 23, 2011

Gill Pratt Could Learn Her Fate Wednesday

Former City Councilwoman and State Representative Renee Gill Pratt could learn her fate as early as Wednesday. This is despite the fact that the prosecution filed a motion to suspend deliberations in the case.

12:00 AM CST, February 25, 2011

: Jim Letten is a difference maker in our community

I guess you can't win 'em all.   Maybe that's what's being said at U.S. Attorney Jim Letten's office up on the 8th floor of the federal building on Poydras street.  It isn't often that someone Letten is going after gets away.  Even if it's just temporarily.

2:57 PM CST, February 24, 2011

Mistrial for for Renee Gill Pratt

2:45PM Update: Judge Ivan Lemelle has declared a mistrial in the racketeering trial of Renee Gill Pratt. Jurors told the judge that they did not believe further deliberations would result in anyone changing their mind.

1:40 PM CST, February 11, 2011

: The Jefferson Clan

The federal trial continues for Renee Gill-Pratt, a former New Orleans City Council President, who allegedly stole federal and state funds appropriated for sham non-profits. Meanwhile, the bogus charities were run by former U.S. Congressman Bill Jefferson's family: Mose & Betty.

12:00 AM CST, February 8, 2011

Sparks Fly in Gill-Pratt Trial

"A sinful act."

4:20 PM CST, February 2, 2011

Jury seated in ex-lawmaker's corruption trial

A federal jury has been picked to hear the

January 30, 2011

Racketeering Trial To Open For Ex-Lawmaker

More than two years ago, four relatives of former Congressman William Jefferson were charged in an alleged plot to pocket government grant money earmarked for charitable and educational programs they ran. But nobody named Jefferson will be on trial this week when a jury is picked to hear the case.

January 12, 2011

Judge asked to delay ill Mose Jefferson's trial

A longtime New Orleans political operativewho is gravely ill with cancer asked a federal judge Wednesday topostpone his trial on charges he conspired to steal hundreds ofthousands of dollars in government grant money earmarked forcharitable and educational programs.

October 6, 2010

Past Convictions Fair Game If Mose Jefferson Testifies

A federal appeals court has ruled thatprosecutors can question longtime political operative MoseJefferson about his bribery convictions if he testifies during histrial in a separate racketeering case.

December 30, 2009

New Court Date Set for Jefferson's Niece

An arraignment in a racketeering conspiracy case has been rescheduled for a former congressman's niece, who is in a hospital.

March 16, 2010

Jefferson, Gill Pratt Racketeering Trial Indefinitely Postponed

A federal judge has indefinitely postponedthe racketeering trial of political operative Mose Jefferson andformer state Rep. Renee Gill Pratt.

August 10, 2009

Jury Selection Begins For Mose Jefferson

A federal trial is opening for a former Louisiana congressman's brother charged with bribing a former New Orleans school board member for her support in awarding school contracts.

August 9, 2009

Mose Jefferson Bribery Trial Jury Secection Begins Monday

A federal trial is opening for a formerLouisiana congressman's brother charged with bribing a former NewOrleans school board member for her support in awarding schoolcontracts.

August 4, 2009

Mose Jefferson Trial Will Start Aug. 10, Delay Denied

A federal appeals court has refused to delaya bribery trial for the brother of a former Louisiana congressman,setting the stage for a jury to hear the case next week.

July 16, 2009

Mose Jefferson Seeks Delay Of Bribery Trial

A former Louisiana congressman's brother is asking a federal judge to postpone his bribery trial until after his trial for a separate racketeering conspiracy case.

July 21, 2009

Judge Says No To Seperate Trial For Racketeering Case

A federal judge has refused to order separatetrials for the racketeering case against a former Louisianalawmaker and three relatives of a former congressman.

May 29, 2009

Indicted Suno Administrator Gill Pratt Resigns

Former state and city lawmaker Renee Gill Pratt gave up her administrative job with Southern University in New Orleans on Friday, a week after she was charged in an alleged scheme to take hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money meant for charity and education.

May 28, 2009

SUNO Names Indicted Ex-councilwoman As Top Adviser

A former New Orleans city council member accused of racketeering is now one of the top advisers to the chancellor of Southern University at New Orleans.

May 23, 2009

Former congressman's niece gets new lawyer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A public defender has been appointed todefend a former Louisiana congressman's niece against charges sheparticipated in a scheme to pocket grant money earmarked forcharitable and educational programs.