OF THOSE RELEASED, MOST HELD FOR DRUGS

Some Nearly Done With Their Sentences

By the end of March, 16 inmates had been freed through the risk-review
process, according to the Louisiana Department of Corrections. Two others
remained in a New Orleans substance abuse rehabilitation program, waiting
to join them.

About 20 additional inmates found relief through programs such as work
release or boot camp. Although their cases didn't go through the state
Pardon Board, the inmates got the attention of the Corrections Department
when they applied for risk reviews.

Many of the inmates released early were in prison for drug convictions.
Others had convictions for forgery and simple burglary. The 16 were all
imprisoned in the 1990s.

Although several got huge breaks by Louisiana justice standards, a number
had practically tapped out their terms behind bars before risk review freed
them.

The following is a sample of people who were released early after applying
for risk review. According to corrections records:

- -- Devin Jetton's 1998 simple burglary conviction in Bossier Parish sent
him away for 24 years. Risk review got him out in less than five.

- -- Vittorio Woods, 42, of Livingston Parish also had a long sentences, 20
years. He served about seven for possession of cocaine before being released.

- -- Tijuan LeMar, 29, of St. James Parish did less than seven years of his
17-year sentence for dealing cocaine.

- -- Gerald Cook, 24, of Orleans Parish had practically finished a five-year
term for cocaine possession before being released from the West Baton Rouge
work release program.

- -- Gregory Green, 43, was recently released after having served about four
years of a seven-year sentence for a forgery conviction in Lafayette. He
was freed after serving in a work-release program in Lafourche Parish.

- -- The same applied to Katie Latiolais, 34, whose sentence for a St. Martin
Parish cocaine-dealing conviction in 1997 was almost wrapped up when risk
review freed her.

- -- Aaron Cummings, 28, of Orleans Parish had his 10-year sentence for
cocaine dealing almost halved. He had been in prison since 1998.