DUSON, La. (KLFY) -- A police chief is proposing a law after Sr. Cpl. Segus Jolivette lost his life in the Jeanerette standoff Thursday.
The hours-long hostage standoff started with the Jeanerette City Marshal trying to serve an arrest warrant. However, the standoff turned into a hostage situation and ended with four Lafayette police officers being shot -- one killed.
Duson Police Chief Kip Judice proposes mandatory incarceration for individuals on a fourth felony conviction. In a social media post, the chief mentions the standoff suspect, Nyjal Hurst, has a "horrendous" record.
"I believe the criminal justice system in the State of Louisiana has blood on its hands, and it is the blood of a very good police officer, a very good man," Judice said.
The chief proposes the idea of a "Segus Law," a mandatory sentence upon the fourth felony conviction.
"The people in Louisiana are not going to be happy when they find out that this guy committed all these crimes was sentenced in 2022 to eight years in prison. He shouldn't be out until 2030," Judice said.
The chief said the rights of an individual are essential to him, but when a person has been convicted four times, the judgment should be a mandatory sentence with no credit for time served or plea deals.
"Period. And you have to stay incarcerated for that time, not on parole, not on house arrest," Judice said.
The chief said the Hurst's history of convictions leading to Cpl. Jolivette's death is unacceptable. Judice explains that efforts have already been made in the justice system to address Hurst's behavior.
"Think about what he was doing. He was negotiating with a four-time convicted felon to surrender on 13 felony warrants and to let those people in that trailer go. How selfless can you get," Judice said.
The proposal involves legislators coming to the table to refine such a bill. According to the Segus Law proposal, the idea would again apply to the fourth conviction. If the maximum sentence is 99 years, then the individual would serve at least 50 percent of that time or 49 and a half years mandatory.
"We're talking about Segus, and rightfully so, but look at the person who committed three murders in a Layette complex. Go pull up his record, and it's the same situation. Five previous convictions, and he was out to commit three more murders," Judice said.
