Class action suit for Katrina evacuation

• Tweet

NEW ORLEANS, May 29 (UPI) -- Aaron Broussard, former president of Jefferson Parish in New Orleans, will face a class action lawsuit for his actions during Hurricane Katrina, lawyers said.

After seven months, the Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeal upheld an earlier decision by District Judge John Peytavin to allow 49 plaintiffs to pursue a class action lawsuit against Broussard and Jefferson Parish.

The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported this was the last in several attempts by Broussard to combat a suit.

Property owners on the West Bank and East Jefferson are suing Broussard for his order to evacuate 220 pump station operators from Jefferson Parish to Washington Parish, leaving Jefferson severely flooded after two days without operating pumps.

Broussard accepted responsibility, saying he gave the order to protect the operators, despite the claims of many who said they volunteered to stay, the report said. He later said he was given a direct order to evacuate.