Two St. Mary Parish women who were serving as jurors in a trial in Franklin have been arrested on contempt of court charges and both were sentenced to serve several days in jail.
The two women were chosen as jurors for a trial which was being presided by 16th Judicial District Judge Roger Hamilton. The defendant, Dong Van Tang, was being tried on two charges of molestation of a juvenile, victim under 13 years of age, as well an additional charge of molestation of a juvenile.
Devin Dawanya Dugar, 21, of Patterson, was arrested on Thursday, August 15, at 10:58 am and charged for contempt of court after she failed to appear as a juror on Tuesday, August 13, at 9:00 am.
Kourtney Kennedy Landry, 30, of Morgan City, was also arrested on Thursday, August 15, at 11:05 am for contempt of court. KQKI News was able to obtain minutes from the St. Mary Parish Clerk of Court’s Office from Wednesday’s trial proceedings, which stated that Landry was sworn and interrogated by the Court and Counsel in regard to her knowing members of the victim’s family. She was removed from the jury and further ordered a Contempt Hearing which was held on Thursday, August 15.
Minutes from Thursday’s Contempt Hearing state, “Discussions were held between the Court and Ms. Landry. Ms. Landry reviewed the Joint Exhibit 1 filed in the record on August 14, 2024. The Court found Ms. Landry in Contempt of Court and ordered her to serve fifteen (15) days imprisonment in the St. Mary Parish Jail. Ms. Landry was remanded into custody.”
A mistrial was declared on Wednesday, August 14, and the case was continued until Monday, November 18.
Dugar and Landry were taken into custody by the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office.