Louisiana Court Halts Indictment Against AG Murrill

The Louisiana Supreme Court has granted a stay in the criminal indictment against Republican Attorney General Liz Murrill, halting proceedings in a high-stakes political battle between state Republicans and Democratic officials in New Orleans. The indictment, which included 16 counts of intimidation and malfeasance, accused Murrill of trying to intimidate local officials who opposed a law passed by Republican legislators to overhaul the city's courts.

Murrill quickly moved for a stay after the indictment was announced on Thursday. The Louisiana Supreme Court granted it early on Friday, citing 'disturbing defects in the grand jury proceedings and in the trial court’s handling of those proceedings.' Murrill has called the charges against her 'retaliatory, meritless and unconstitutional,' vowing to continue her work as attorney general.

Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, has promised a swift pardon for Murrill, stating that she would not have her reputation tarnished by what he described as an 'Orleans kangaroo court.' The supreme court order noted that the stay allows Murrill to assert any necessary defensive pleadings, including motions to quash.

The indictment stems from a law approved by legislators just days before Calvin Duncan, a former wrongfully convicted individual, was set to take office as the elected clerk of Orleans Parish criminal court. The law effectively eliminates his position. Supporters of Duncan view the law as an attempt by conservative state leaders to override the will of voters in predominantly Black New Orleans.

The dispute has intensified political tensions between Louisiana state Republicans and Democratic New Orleans officials. Murrill warned eight New Orleans officials, including Mayor Helena Moreno and District Attorney Jason Williams, that they could face removal from their jobs for opposing the law eliminating Duncan’s position. The controversy has drawn significant attention, with critics seeing Murrill's actions as an effort to intimidate officials into accepting the controversial legislation.

The Supreme Court noted multiple procedural issues in the case, including conflicts of interest involving Laurie White, the special prosecutor and former state judge who brought the charges. Justice Jay McCallum highlighted that the law used in the intimidation charge against Murrill requires threats to be 'unlawful or include a threat of bodily harm or death.' The court also found that Murrill is likely to succeed in having the case dismissed and would suffer irreparable harm if it moved forward. The order was issued by all four Republican justices and one Democrat, with two dissenting.

Bond for Murrill was set at $400,000 on Thursday, according to court records. Landry said he was ordering state police to investigate what he called 'alleged improprieties' of the grand jury and those who ran it. The Republican Attorneys General Assn. said that making statements to local officials — in writing — was simply 'issuing a legal opinion and warning public officials about the law' as part of her official duties. It called the indictment 'as outrageous as it is dangerous.'

Mayor Helena Moreno, who was elected in January and was defiant after Murrill sent the letters, on Thursday called it a 'matter for the courts' and did not directly address the allegations. Duncan has said he believes state officials were retaliating against him in eliminating the job he won with 68% of the vote. Murrill and Landry have long refused to acknowledge his innocence, though he’s listed on the National Registry of Exonerations.