News

By Daniel Jones, editor

In an update to a story originally covered by the Sabine Index in January, a judgment issued by 11^th Judicial Court Judge Stephen Beasley has ordered a new trial for Melvin Maxie, who was convicted in the murder of Tyruss Thomas.

Of the many inconsistencies filed by the defense, the court chose to strike many, while focusing on the most contentious.  Among the most important is the focus on allegations that the majority verdict scheme for Louisiana jurors is unconstitutional, and that there were three unique standards not followed, in addition to there being a non-resident juror that served.  The new trial will require a unanimous jury for conviction.

The incident

On October 16, Darrell A. Williams Jr., 23, formerly of Many, was arrested in Waveland, Mississippi on a warrant from Sabine Parish for second degree murder.  The warrant was obtained by Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office investigators after an extensive investigation into the shooting death of Lynnquithis L. January, 23, of Many.

January died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds he received while sitting in the breezeway of D building at the Apollo Apartments on June 18, 2018, around 10:33 p.m.

The Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the investigation by Hancock County Sheriff’s Office in Mississippi, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, New Orleans Police Department, Louisiana State Police, and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office.

The “Save a Building, Build a Museum” project is gaining momentum as donations continue to arrive for the ambitious project by the Many Cultural District Advisory Committee, the Sabine Historical Society and the Town of Many.

“We have now reached almost $10,000 in donations that are the direct result of a recent letter writing campaign with more than 500 letters mailed out to individuals, groups, businesses, and organizations in Sabine Parish,” Mayor Freeman said. “We’re so pleased about the generosity of these donors. However in terms of the number of donations, only about 10 percent of those we reached out to by letter actually donated. We are hopeful that others who received these donation requests will still contribute something to help us build this museum.”

Ebarb High School Civics students wrote to Louisiana and United States Congressional members about current issues facing young people in the state and nation. U.S. Congressman Mike Johnson, representing the 4th District of Louisiana, responded to a letter he received from Raven Lewis by personally visiting Ebarb High School on September 17 Constitution Day. During a round table discussion with members of the civics class, Congressman Mike Johnson provided insight about what Congress is doing to improve the state of our nation. He also answered questions from the students about concerns facing teens today.

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The Brocato family has generously supported the Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) Sciences Department with a gift of one Nikon Labophot Phase Contrast Microscope and one Nikon Optiphot Phase Contrast Microscope. The two microscopes were given in memory of Dr. Robert M. “Bobby” Brocato, by his wife, Mary Key Brocato and their son, Dr. Robert A. Brocato. 

Dr. Robert M. Brocato was a well-respected dentist in Many for many years while Mary Key Brocato enjoyed a lustrous career as an educator in Many and Natchitoches.

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