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Nagin and DA Hold Morning Press Conference

Section: Politics

AP

Mayor Ray Nagin is scheduled to appear at a press conference on 9 a.m. Tuesday with Orleans Parish District Attorney Keva Landrum-Johnson and other city leaders to discuss the "future operations" of the DA's office, which faces a potentially crippling civil rights judgment.

The news conference will be in the press room of the mayor's office at City Hall.

In the past week, Nagin's office has been in extensive discussions with state officials about the outstanding $3.4 million judgment. Officials on Friday signaled that talks were progressing well, with attorneys for the plaintiffs even saying that they believed a settlement could soon be announced.

A federal jury in 2005 found that former DA Eddie Jordan used race as a factor when he fired dozens of white support workers just days after taking office. Jordan resigned at the end of October, but the judgment still hovers over the office, which last week released a document showing they had less than $1 million in the bank.

Officials have emphasized that if the plaintiffs take that money -- something they are in the process of doing -- the office will eventually be unable to operate normally, such as continuing to make payroll.

Along with Nagin and Landrum-Johnson, City Council President Arnie Fielkow and Councilmember James Carter are expected to attend the press conference. Jay Lapeyre and David Voelker, two members of the Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region, who have also been involved in the discussions, are also scheduled to appear.

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