Court back in session in New Orleans

Joseph Goldstein
The Daily Citizen

NEW ORLEANS -- The criminal courts returned to New Orleans Monday as two judges heard the cases of inmates being held at the temporary jail in the city's Amtrak and Greyhound station.

The 28 defendants present for their first court appearance were the most recent of more than 500 inmates who have been held in the hastily welded pens following their arrests in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Before this past weekend those jailed at the terminal were either released shortly after their arrest or transported to a state prison due to the absence of any functioning courts in New Orleans. Court was held Monday in a room on the second floor of the train and bus terminal.

Source: http://www.thedailycitizen.com/articles/2005/10/04/news/local_news/news02.txt