Merlene Maten's bail was set at $50,000 and she spent over two weeks in jail over a sausage.
Posted on 01/13/2006 11:48:33 AM PST by freepatriot32
Louisiana Woman Charged After Hurricane Katrina Left Area in Ruins
GRETNA, La. (Jan. 13) - A church deaconess and great-grandmother jailed for two weeks after being accused of looting sausage during Hurricane Katrina will not be prosecuted.
Merlene Maten, 73, learned of the decision Wednesday when she appeared in court for her arraignment, said her attorney, Daniel Becnel III.
"My God tells me it's best to give than to receive. So for anybody to even think of accusing me of doing something like that, it just sickens me to my stomach. But thank God, thank God, thank God it's over," Maten said.
Kenner police spokesman Capt. James Gallagher said he was surprised the charge was refused.
"We thought it was a valid case, but we don't have any control over what the DA does," he said.
Maten had evacuated New Orleans with her disabled 80-year-old husband to a hotel in suburban Kenner. On Aug. 30, the day after Katrina hit, police arrested her, saying they saw her carrying beer and sausage out of a looted store.
But Maten said she was retrieving clothing and sausage from the trunk of her car in the hotel's parking lot. Family and eyewitnesses insisted she had not been looting and said the officers cuffed her in frustration, unable to catch younger looters.
The looting charge alleged she took $63.50 in goods from a deli. Her bail had been set at $50,000, and she was taken to the state women's prison, being used as a temporary jail in the wake of Katrina.
Despite intervention from advocates for the elderly, volunteer lawyers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a private attorney, the family fought a futile battle for 16 days to get her freed.
A judge ordered Maten freed on her own recognizance Sept. 16, hours after her plight was featured in an Associated Press story.
Merlene Maten's bail was set at $50,000 and she spent over two weeks in jail over a sausage.
Wow, a great grandmother. What an outrage. I wonder if she used to be an honors student?
Now, if she were childless, then I would have supported her jailing.
I'm having trouble with the mechanics of this. Was she suspended by a rope, above a sausage? Was the sausage in, or under, her bed? Or was the entire jail constructed above a sausage?
I'm having trouble with the mechanics of this. Was she suspended by a rope, above a sausage? Was the sausage in, or under, her bed? Or was the entire jail constructed above a sausage?
Wurst joke ever.
At least they didn't jump on her and break her shoulder.
I wonder how many days any of New Orleans "Looting Leos" have spent in jail?
Ding ding - We have a wiener.
STOP SCHNITZEL!
What are you talking about? You mean if she was childless you would keep her in jail? That is crazy. This women has been living on the system for years because she had these kids. I wish she was single and I would have still wanted her out of jail. I think it is a small crime, but to give her preference over her brats is ridiculous.
Sarcasm...
the media always plays up someone being a "mom" or "grandma", like we're suppose to feel more sympathy because of it.
"This women has been living on the system for years because she had these kids."
And we draw this conclusion how?
Oh to easy a question. Give me a tougher one next time...LOL.
Despite intervention from advocates for the elderly, volunteer lawyers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a private attorney, the family fought a futile battle for 16 days to get her freed.
"This women has been living on the system for years because she had these kids."
Really? Where did you get that information. I've seen nothing in the press regarding her ever being on welfare.
Lots of black women in the south aren't on welfare. That she is still with her husband, now 80 years old, would indicate that she has and had a very stable family relationship.
Shame on you for your assumption.
The media is the worst.
Have a good one.
I wasn't. Read my prior answer to the other poster who was upset with my post.
Where in the world did you get that information. please post a link! As for her crime, I suspect that she "got off" because the police couldn't produce any evidence.Thus the DA decided he had no case.
volunteer lawyers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency
I read your other post. That this 73-year-old woman is getting legal advice from charitable organizations and from FEMA is not evidence that she and her family were on welfare.
At 73, I'd expect she is retired and living on Social Security plus whatever savings she has.
You're still drawing suspect conclusions.
You're full of it. You can't draw any conclusion from that snippet that she's been living in the system for YEARS. Just because someone has a volunteer attorney doesn't mean they're on welfare living off the system for YEARS. You just ASSume that becuase she's black and you're a straight up bigot.
I sure don't see the word welfare in there. To get intervention from volunteer lawyers is not the same as welfare.
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