NEW ORLEANS – Last week, the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office (OPDA) secured the conviction of defendant Shonnon Esteen for the rape of two minors. Led by Deputy Chief of Trials Lilian Hangartner and Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Penny Kissinger, Defendant Esteen was convicted of two counts of Second Degree Rape and two counts of Sexual Battery of a child under 15 committed in Orleans Parish between 2006 to 2010.
“The children of New Orleans are our future and this office will do everything in our power to ensure that we protect them from predators in our community. The conviction ensures that this defendant is held accountable for his egregious actions,” said District Attorney Jason Williams. “I am proud of the work done by Deputy Chief Hangartner and ADA Kissinger to present a strong case and secure a unanimous conviction for the victims of this crime. I am also proud of Victim/Witness Advocate Jasmine Hillyer for working diligently with the survivors in this case. Our prosecutors will continue working to hold those who wish to cause harm in the community responsible for their actions.”
The trial took place in Section A of Criminal District Court; Judge Laurie A. White presided. Sentencing is set to take place on September 1, 2022.
This conviction builds on the success of DA Williams and OPDA prosecutors to secure convictions in court since the resumption of jury trials in March. When cases come to OPDA with sufficient evidence, the District Attorney’s Office has vigorously fought for victims of violent crimes. Guilty jury trial verdicts secured since March include:
DESPITE SUCCESS BY PROSECUTORS IN COURT, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ARE STILL NEEDED FROM THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF THIS CRIME SURGE AND TO HELP INCREASE SAFETY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
Since November 2021, the DA’s Office has argued that as the caseload increases due to the crime surge and COVID-19 backlog, OPDA is in need of additional staff, funding, and resources. District Attorney Williams continues to double down on his request to the New Orleans City Council and Mayor LaToya Cantrell to fund our requests for additional lawyers, more DNA testing analysts, and Cold Case funding, among other needs, to improve OPDA’s capacity and help prosecutors build stronger cases.
The City of New Orleans has millions of dollars from the federal government that are earmarked for this exact need that are not being spent. The District Attorney’s Office needs immediate action to hire more people to handle this increased workload.
“We are prosecutors. Trying cases in front of a jury is what we do, so we are excited to be back in court presenting cases with strong evidence in pursuit of justice and increased safety. However, we are faced with some of the most unprecedented challenges this office has ever seen. From an increased case load to a large DNA backlog, our office needs support and resources from City leadership,” said District Attorney Williams. “These times are absolutely the most challenging we’ve faced in recent history, but we are holding those who commit violent offenses accountable and securing justice for the victims and families. This office will be steadfast in restoring trust in our criminal legal system by securing convictions in the most difficult cases as well as addressing decades of indifference to the concerns of the community.”
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