JAY JOHNSON TO THE MAJORS? LSU COACH HASN’T RULED IT OUT 1C THE
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F r i d ay, a p r i l 3, 2026
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2026 LEGISLATURE
Clergy members from the Lafayette Diocese greet students from Cathedral-Carmel School as they arrive at St. John Cathedral for the Chrism Mass on Thursday.
HOLY THURSDAY
STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK
Bishop Douglas Deshotel and other clergy members in the Lafayette Diocese arrive at St. John Cathedral for the Chrism Mass on Thursday. Chrism Mass is a major Holy Week liturgy during which sacred oils are blessed and consecrated for use during the year, and priests renew their commitment to the priesthood.
BY AIDAN McCAHILL
Associated Press
WEATHER HIGH 84 LOW 70 PAGE 10C
Staff writer
Louisiana district attorneys could soon be able to have new judges assigned to criminal cases when defendants opt not to have jury trials. A bill that would make that change is the latest in a series of proposals rankling defense advocates, who say the new rules would stack the decks to favor prosecutors. Proponents of the legislation, including state Attorney General Liz Murrill, argue House Bill 381 is needed to keep defendants from “judge shopping.” But defense attorneys say it would give prosecutors the power to do exactly that. The bill comes as lawmakers also consider proposals that aim to allow district attorneys to force jury trials, on the one hand, and make fewer misdemeanor defendants eligible for jury trials, on the other. HB381’s sponsor, Rep. Josh Carlson, R-Lafayette, told the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee Wednesday that defendants should not be able to keep their cases before favorable judges after waiving jury trials. He was quickly backed by Murrill, who said HB381 aims to “prevent judge shopping in criminal cases and manipulation of the criminal justice system.” If the bill passes, a defendant who waives his right to a jury trial would have his case randomly reassigned to another judge in the
ä See JUDGES, page 5A
twice their size, attempting to Hundreds gather keep it from moving, or at “bay.” “Talk to me baby, talk to me!” to watch Catahoulas yells their owner, Randy Dorrell, chant that seems more corral feral hogs aforritualized him than his dogs.
BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, ERIC TUCKER, MICHAEL BALSAMO and MICHELLE L. PRICE
ä See BONDI, page 5A
BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN
It’s dogs vs. hogs at Winnfield event
Trump fires AG Bondi
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that Pam Bondi is out as his attorney general, ending the contentious tenure of a loyalist who upended the Justice Department’s culture of independence from the White House, oversaw large-scale firings of career employees and moved aggressively to investigate the Bondi Republican president’s perceived enemies. The departure followed months of scrutiny over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to the Jeffrey
Bill to let DAs change judges advances
Staff writer
STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS
Chelsie Kirby, left, holding Willy, and Kynzie Kirby, holding Smokey, hold onto the metal gates of the pen before releasing their dogs at Uncle Earl’s Hog Dog Trials in Winnfield on March 21.
At the edge of a sand arena, two Catahoula leopard dogs hang suspended in midair, legs cartoonishly churning as they’re held by two squatting men. It’s a hot and dusty Saturday afternoon at the Winnfield Fairgrounds in the third week of March. Bees, barefooted children and “hog dog” trainers from as far as France and Australia swarm the surrounding wooden bleachers. A gate swings open and a feral hog trots out. The men let go. The dogs, Goose and Max, hurl themselves with abandon. For four minutes, the barks don’t stop as the canine duo plant themselves within 2 feet of a beast
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Several times, the hog lunges and bites, but like NFL cornerbacks, Goose and Max flip their hips and retreat to avoid the charge, then resume the doubleteam pressure. When the hog attempts to break the bay, the dogs sink their teeth into the tough skin and briefly hold on. If the hog runs free for too long, or the dogs break eye contact, judges watching from above subtract points. Goose is a seven-time world champion in hog baying and, despite being 9 years old, still has the mix of boldness, athleticism and focus that has kept him at the top of the sport since he was 10 months old. But it’s day six of Uncle Earl’s
ä See DOGS, page 4A
101ST yEAR, NO. 277