Amid an already contentious and tight race to determine who will win the seat for Orleans Parish Criminal District Court clerk, challenger Calvin Duncan dropped a bombshell last week alleging dysfunction in the clerk of court’s office under incumbent Darren Lombard.
Last Monday (Nov. 3), Duncan’s campaign released several emails, obtained through a public records request, in which the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office alleged that Lombard’s office was doing work that was inconsistent and not thorough in reviewing, documenting and filing records. According to the emails, sent between January and October, those problems played a role in the improper release of defendants from pre-trial detention and forced the court and the DA’s office to leave hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table.
The uncollected money was from bail bonds that DA Jason Williams’ office claimed should have been forfeited after defendants who were out on bail missed their court appearances and were ordered jailed. But in order to collect that money, which is split between the court and the DA’s office, prosecutors have to prove that the court — through the clerk or the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office — sent court appearance notices and arrest warrants to the defendants, their bail bond agents and bail-bond insurers, called surety companies…