Mayor Mitch Landrieu will remain free after the Louisiana Supreme Court intervenes in the ongoing battle with fire fighters. The fight isn't over yet, but Landrieu won't be placed on house arrest.
"I want to thank the Louisiana Supreme Court for its ruling," he said. "I have to say that I never imagined in my wildest dreams when I became your mayor that I could lose my freedom for doing my job and fighting hard to protect the taxpayers of the city."
The city made a last-ditch effort Friday to fight a ruling made earlier in the week from Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Kern Reese. That ruling gave the mayor until 5 p.m. Friday to come with a way to pay fire fighters $75 million in back pay or be placed on house arrest. The city appealed that decision to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and the state Supreme Court. The 4th circuit denied that request for a stay, but in a last-minute ruling, the Supreme Court sided with the mayor saying he can remain free while the city appeals the contempt of court judgment.
"I want to solve this problem, but the firefighters union has rejected every reasonable plan we have put on the table," Landrieu said.
President of the New Orleans Fire Fighters Union Nick Felton, said their reason for that is simple.