Judge releases dozens of prisoners held since Hurricane Katrina News
Judge releases dozens of prisoners held since Hurricane Katrina

[JURIST] Orleans Parish Criminal District Court [official website] Judge Calvin Johnson has ordered the release without bail of as many as 100 prisoners who were arrested before Hurricane Katrina [JURIST news archive] ravaged the area, but were never charged. Johnson, who was appointed to hear the cases in Baton Rouge by the Louisiana Supreme Court, ordered the releases of the inmates during a several-hour hearing in which attorneys quickly presented the charges, date of arrest and criminal history of each inmate, who were evacuated days after the hurricane and remained imprisoned [JURIST report] in state facilities since that time. The majority of the inmates who were held without charge were set free, but the district attorney's office has reserved the right to charge the inmates at a later date. Most prisoners who were charged before the hurricane were ordered to remain incarcerated. From New Orleans, Wednesday's Times-Picayune has local coverage.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.