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Yahoo
18-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Largest Antebellum Mansion in the South is Destroyed by Fire
The largest Antebellum mansion in the South, dating back to 1859, has been destroyed by a fire. The fire at Nottoway Plantation in White Castle, LA—just outside Baton Rouge—broke out around 2pm on Thursday, May 15 and reduced the 160-year-old landmark to rubble. It was first ignited in the south wing of the building, according to officials. Employees then reported seeing smoke after walking into a room of the museum on the second floor. Fire officials believe the fire first started in one of the bedrooms, and while it was doused in about two hours, it started back up again in the evening. Crews stayed on the scene overnight to put out hot spots. It took about about 30-40 firefighters from several parishes to put out the fire. The owners of Nottoway Plantation initially told officials that they wanted to rebuild in line with historic preservation, WAFB-TV reports. However, they now say they are unsure because the structure has been completely destroyed. The Nottoway Plantation is one of the largest antebellum homes in the South, and was built by enslaved people. The Nottoway Plantation is one of the largest historic mansions in the South. It's located on the famous River Road between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The mansion, which sits on 31 acres, is known for its massive white columns and grand balconies that overlook the Mississippi River. On the other side, three-story rotundas overlooked the lawns, dotted with the large oak trees. The oldest tree on the property is about 162 years old—about the same age as the mansion, according to Nottoway's resort website. It's also a piece of American history that stirs debate and dark memories. The plantation was once owned by John Hampden Rudolph, a sugar planter. The 64-room, 53,000 square foot property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It's believed slaves helped build the home. By 1860, Randolph owned 155 enslaved Black people who helped maintain the plantation. During the Civil War, Nottoway Plantation was able to avoid any major damage. 'While its early history is undeniably tied to a time of great injustice, over the last several decades it evolved into a place of reflection, education, and dialogue,' said Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle, according to WBRZ. 'Since the 1980s, it has welcomed visitors from around the world who came to appreciate its architecture and confront the legacies of its era.' Throughout the decades, ownership of the property changed hands. Most recently, it was a hotel and resort, hosting wedding and special events. It also housed a museum with paintings and artifacts showing the history of the sprawling estate. 'As we process this tragedy, let us recommit ourselves to protecting and honoring our shared history — not just in grand structures, but in the values we carry forward,' said Daigle. Fire officials remain on the scene looking into the cause which remains under investigation. Nashville Lacks Large Apartments, but These 5 Other Cities Will Give You More Room for the Rent: Here's How To Find Them 'Sister Wives' Kody and Janelle Brown Open Up About 'Painful' Death of Son Garrison—and Why They Wanted To Move Him to North Carolina Ahead of His Death Protect Your Credit: How the End of Student Loan Relief Could Hurt Homebuyers—and What To Do About It
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Yahoo
Former LSU receiver, NFL prospect Kyren Lacy found dead in Houston: Reports
Former LSU receiver and NFL draft prospect Kyren Lacy was found dead Saturday night in Houston. Lacy's death was confirmed by a family member to Baton Rouge's WAFB-TV and by an LSU official to ESPN. Lacy, 24, was facing a grand jury hearing Monday for charges of negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run with death and reckless operation of a vehicle from a fatal crash that occurred on Dec. 17 and killed 78-year-old Herman Hall and injured two others, with Lacy allegedly speeding away from the scene. According to Louisiana State Police, Lacy "recklessly passed multiple vehicles at a high rate of speed by crossing the centerline and entering the northbound lane while in a designated no-passing zone." He allegedly drove around the crash scene following the accident and then fled without stopping to help or report the crash and his involvement in it. A post-crash investigation determined Lacy was the driver of the vehicle causing the crash and an arrest warrant was issued. Lacy's agent released a statement saying his client was cooperating with authorities. Lacy turned himself in on Jan. 12, was booked and then released on $151,000 bail, according to police records. He declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Dec. 19, two days after the crash, and opted out of LSU's Texas Bowl win over Baylor. In three seasons at LSU after transferring from Louisiana, Lacy compiled 112 receptions for 1,692 yards and 16 touchdowns in 39 games. He was viewed as one of the top 15 receiver prospects in the upcoming draft.
CBS News
13-04-2025
- CBS News
Former LSU receiver Kyren Lacy dead at age 24
Former Louisiana State University receiver Kyren Lacy , who was facing criminal charges stemming from a fatal car accident in December, has died at age 24, a university athletics spokesman said Sunday. "We're saddened to learn of the tragic passing of former LSU Football student-athlete Kyren Lacy. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones, as well as his former teammates and coaches impacted by his passing," the LSU Athletic Department said in a statement to CBS News. CBS affiliate WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge reported that the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office said Lacy died early Sunday morning, a day before a grand jury was set to start hearing evidence in his alleged involvement in a crash that killed a 78-year-old man in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana. While the LSU Athletic Department confirmed Lacy's death, it did not confirm the cause. WAFB-TV, citing an unnamed family member, reported that Lacy, who is from Thibodaux, Louisiana, died in the Houston area. Houston police referred media inquiries to the Harris County Medical Examiner's office, which did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press on Sunday. Lacy, who led LSU in touchdowns receiving with nine last season, had declared for this month's NFL draft. But his draft stock plummeted after the car crash. In a statement to WAFB-TV, Lacy's lawyer said the Lafourche Parish District Attorney had not formally charged him. "Kyren was a young man with immense promise, and he was crushed under the weight of an irresponsible and prejudiced process," the lawyer said. "There was never a presumption of innocence which was exemplified by the NFL pulling his draft card over mere accusations without affording him the slightest chance to defend himself. The pressure and perception likely became unbearable." Lacy allegedly was driving recklessly — speeding and passing in a no-passing zone — when a motorist who was swerving to avoid Lacy's Dodge Charger crashed head-on into another vehicle. Herman Hall of Thibodaux, Louisiana, who was involved in a head-on crash, died after being taken to a hospital, a state police report said. Authorities with State Police Troop C in Gray, Louisiana, said Lacy fled the scene without calling for help. Lacy was booked with negligent homicide, felony hit-and-run and reckless operation of a vehicle. Lacy played in 12 games for LSU last season and was second on the team in catches with 58 and yards receiving with 866. He also played for the University of Louisiana where he ranked fourth among Louisiana's receivers' corps with 304 yards on 21 receptions, according to the Ragin Cajuns. He declared for the NFL draft just days after the accident and did not play in LSU's victory over Baylor in the Texas Bowl on Dec. 31.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Yahoo
Louisiana conducts its first nitrogen gas execution, ending 15-year death penalty hiatus
Jessie Hoffman, 46, was executed Tuesday, March 18, 2025, for the 1996 kidnapping, rape and murder of Mary 'Molly' Elliot, 28, in St. Tammany Parish. He's the first person put to death through nitrogen hypoxia, and the first death sentenced carried out in Louisiana in 15 years. (Photo courtesy Hoffman's defense team) Lawyers for Jessie Hoffman confirmed Tuesday evening he was put to death at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, being the first person in the state executed using nitrogen gas. It also marked the first time Louisiana has carried out the death penalty in 15 years, citing its inability to obtain the drugs necessary for lethal injection. With no foreseeable source for that method, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry and the GOP-dominated state legislature approved nitrogen hypoxia as an alternative. Alabama is the only other state to have used the technique, having put four condemned men to death since adopting the method in February 2024. 'It went flawless. There was nothing that happened incorrectly,' Gary Westcott, secretary of Louisiana's Department of Public Safety and Corrections, told reporters after Hoffman's execution, according to WAFB-TV. Hoffman, 46, was executed for the 1996 kidnapping, rape and murder of 28-year-old Mary 'Molly' Elliot. She had just gotten married a week before she was killed. Investigators said Hoffman abducted Elliot at a downtown New Orleans parking lot where he was a valet and where she parked daily for her job at an advertising agency. She was taken to rural St. Tammany Parish, where she was assaulted and fatally shot the day before Thanksgiving. A hunter found her nude body the next day at a remote boat launch near the Pearl River. If you commit heinous acts of violence in this State, it will cost you your life. – Gov. Jeff Landry Lawyers for Hoffman, seeking a last-minute reprieve from his death sentence being carried out, argued nitrogen hypoxia amounts to cruel and unusual punishment, prohibited under the 8th Amendment. Hoffman instead sought death by firing squad or lethal injection, acknowledging his responsibility for Elliot's violent death. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick of Louisiana's Middle District Court, temporarily blocked Hoffman's execution date to allow that argument to proceed. Attorney General Liz Murrill challenged that order. Last week, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals removed the injunction from Dick, a federal court appointee of former President Barack Obama. In a 5-4 decision late Tuesday afternoon, the Supreme Court refused to stop Hoffman's execution. Cecelia Koppel, one of Hoffman's attorneys and director of the Center for Social Justice at Loyola University College of Law, issued a statement on Hoffman's death shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday. 'Tonight, the State of Louisiana carried out the senseless execution of Jessie Hoffman,' Koppell said. 'He was a father, a husband, and a man who showed extraordinary capacity for redemption. Jessie no longer bore any resemblance to the 18-year old who killed Molly Elliot.' Koppel had unsuccessfully challenged Louisiana's move to nitrogen hypoxia, arguing the method was an illegal affront to Hoffman's Buddhist faith. Justice Neil Gorsuch, an appointee of President Donald Trump, joined the court's three liberal jurists and wrote the dissenting opinion, calling out the 5th Circuit's failure to address Hoffman's religious concerns. The expedited nature of Louisiana's nitrogen hypoxia protocols was also a point of contention for Koppel. Although Landry and lawmakers approved the method last year, the governor didn't release the legally required execution protocol until Feb. 10. Those details remained under seal until March 5, giving Hoffman's team less than two weeks to challenge the pending execution. 'The State was able to execute him by pushing out a new protocol and setting execution dates to prevent careful judicial review and shrouding the process in secrecy,' Koppel said. Landry's office also issued a statement from him after Hoffman's execution. It stressed how Elliot's 'family and friends have been forced to relive the tragedy through countless legal proceedings.' 'In Louisiana, we will always prioritize victims over criminals, law and order over lawlessness, and justice over the status quo,' Landry said. 'If you commit heinous acts of violence in this State, it will cost you your life. Plain and simple.' Read the governor's full statement below. State corrections officials allowed only two journalists to witness the execution. According to The Advocate, Hoffman was fastened to a gurney and inhaled nitrogen gas for 19 minutes. State officials said he displayed 'convulsive activity' as he died, and he was pronounced dead at 6:50 p.m. Hoffman declined to make a final statement before his death and refused a last meal, according to the report. Ilona Hoffman, the executed man's wife, issued a statement that said he 'was not defined by his worst moment' and that the 'system' had failed him as a child. 'This execution was not justice. It was revenge,' Ilona Hoffman said. 'True justice recognizes growth, humanity, and redemption. Louisiana chose to ignore that.' The Promise of Justice Initiative, which opposes the death penalty, was among the groups in Hoffman's corner. Its senior staff attorney, Samantha Pourciau, took critical aim at the Landry administration in a statement after his death. 'Governor Landry's yearslong pursuit of this execution concluded with more pain and more trauma. Tonight, while many in our state cannot afford groceries, the state used countless resources to kill one man,' Pourciau said in part. 'The governor cannot cloak this in fighting for victims, because today we learned that this is not, in fact, what this family wants. This is what the governor wants. This has been in service of no one, but the bloodlust of our state government.' There are 55 more people on death row in Louisiana, and Murrill has said the state intends to execute four people this year. The full statement from Gov. Jeff Landry on Jessie Hoffman's execution: 'It is unfortunate that bad people exist, and they do real bad things. When these acts of violence happen, society must not tolerate it. God is as Just as he is Merciful; and my hope is that when Louisiana empties death row, there will never be another victim whose perpetrator must be placed there. In Louisiana, we will always prioritize victims over criminals, law and order over lawlessness, and justice over the status quo. If you commit heinous acts of violence in this State, it will cost you your life. Plain and simple.'
