No prosecution for Louisiana woman who posted video

NEW ORLEANS – A Louisiana woman arrested after posting a video of a school fight online will not be prosecuted, the district attorney in Lafayette said Tuesday.

Maegan Adkins-Barras, 32, of Broussard was arrested and jailed last week under a little known 2008 law. The law forbids people involved in crimes from posting video of those crimes to gain publicity.

Adkins-Barras posted the video of the fight at Acadiana High School after receiving it from her son. The Scott Police Department later arrested her.

An American Civil Liberties Union attorney, asked to comment on the arrest, raised doubts about the case. Bruce Hamilton noted that there was no indication Adkins-Barras was a principal or accessory to the fight, or that she sought publicity.

District Attorney Keith Stutes told Lafayette news outlets Tuesday that there was insufficient proof of a crime.

Adkins-Barras has not responded to telephone and online requests for comment.

Hamilton said last week that the law itself appeared ripe for challenges, in part because some of the language in the statute is vague as to what types of video might be illegal to post.