Lisa Homsy was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on charges of driving while intoxicated, operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, and involuntary manslaughter for the death of her partner, Markhamweed Banks. Lisa had been drinking and driving while at the time of the accident. She had also previously been married twice; first to Gerald Banks, a wealthy man whose considerable estate consisted of various plantations in Louisiana, and second to Raymond Parks, an alcoholic who lived with her and their son in their house in New Orleans. Her marriage to Markhamweed caused them great stress. According to court records, Lisa also had been a plaintiff in several lawsuits against her former husband, involving financial mismanagement and breach of fiduciary duties. All this seems like quite a lot to some people, including herself, who were deeply disappointed with the way Lisa was treated by the legal system.
Lisa was an attractive young woman, with dark hair and dark eyes that are the result of multiple cataracts. In her mug shot she is wearing glasses that are so large they almost completely obscure her eyes. In court she looked pale and thin with red hair, wrinkled hands, and a receding chin. In jail her clothing was sparse, with a white shirt, blue Jean pants, and tennis shoes. Jail was also difficult for her; she requested that she be given more food and water than was allowed.
The public defender that was assigned to the case expressed frustration with the fact, “Lisa Homsy has not had any work completed yet, despite pleas from the defense that her case should move much faster”. This outcome might seem surprising to some given the fact that Markham Banks was well known to be a very accomplished attorney and had even won major cases for clients who owed substantial money to insurance companies. Lisa Homsy’s lack of success may simply be the result of a life sentence without much opportunity for rehabilitation. Regardless, Lisa’s death has brought the attention of the public to a tragedy that occurs more often than most people realize: the existence of life sentences without parole.