The Louisiana Supreme Court has temporarily halted criminal proceedings against state Attorney General Liz Murrill, adding another dramatic turn to a growing political and legal conflict between Republican state leaders and Democratic officials in New Orleans.
Murrill, a Republican and Louisiana’s first female attorney general, was indicted by a New Orleans grand jury on Thursday on 16 counts involving allegations of intimidation and malfeasance. The charges accuse her of attempting to pressure New Orleans officials who opposed a Republican-backed law that changed the city’s court system.
Louisiana Supreme Court Grants Stay
Murrill quickly asked the state’s highest court to pause the case, and the Louisiana Supreme Court granted her request early Friday.
The court said Murrill had raised a strong argument about serious problems in the grand jury process and the trial court’s handling of the proceedings.
The stay gives Murrill time to file defensive motions, including possible motions to quash the indictment.
The court also said the stay does not stop others from responding to any legal filings made by the attorney general.
Murrill Calls Charges Retaliatory
Murrill has strongly denied the allegations against her.
She described the indictment as retaliatory, baseless and unconstitutional. In a post on X, she said she would continue doing the job Louisiana voters elected her to perform.
Louisiana’s Republican governor, Jeff Landry, also defended Murrill. He said he would move quickly to pardon her and argued that she should not have her reputation damaged by what he described as a “kangaroo court.”
Secrecy Surrounding Grand Jury Indictment
The indictment was announced under unusual and controversial circumstances.
Members of the media were waiting inside the courtroom of New Orleans Judge Leon Roche to hear whether the grand jury would return an indictment against Murrill.
However, Roche ordered the courtroom sealed, and reporters were escorted out before the indictment was returned.
The closure immediately raised legal concerns because the public generally has the right to access court proceedings. Louisiana law also requires grand jury returns to take place in open court.
Media Members Handcuffed After Courtroom Closure
WWL Louisiana, a reporting partner of The Guardian, objected to the courtroom closure and attempted to maintain access in case an indictment was issued.
After the courtroom was emptied and locked, WWL investigative producer Danny Monteverde and the outlet’s attorney, Elana Beiser, were handcuffed.
They had protested deputies’ orders requiring media members to leave the courthouse entirely. Other journalists who also objected were not handcuffed.
Court Says Open-Court Law Was Violated
In its Friday stay order, the Louisiana Supreme Court said the New Orleans court appeared to have violated clear state law requiring grand jury returns to occur publicly and in open court.
Judge Roche did not initially explain why he sealed the courtroom, according to the Times-Picayune.
Later, a court spokesperson said grand jurors must be physically present when indictments are returned and that confidentiality is needed to protect their identities so they can deliberate freely and without fear of exposure.
Judge Roche Defends His Decision
On Friday, Roche responded to the Supreme Court’s stay with a filing defending his actions.
He argued that clearing the courtroom was necessary to protect the anonymity of grand jurors.
Roche also said he did not order anyone from the media to be handcuffed. His filing stated that no journalists were handcuffed inside the courtroom or in his presence.
The sheriff’s office, which provides courthouse security, said its deputies acted according to the directions they received to protect grand jurors and other participants in the proceedings.
WWL Louisiana Condemns Detention of Journalist
Tod Smith, president and general manager of WWL Louisiana, said Monteverde was doing his job by trying to inform the public about a matter of major community interest.
Smith said journalists should not be detained for seeking transparency or asking questions about courtroom access, especially when state law requires proceedings to happen in open court.
He also pointed to press freedom protections under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Political Fight Over New Orleans Court Law
The indictment comes amid months of rising tension between Louisiana Republicans and Democratic officials in New Orleans.
The conflict centers on a new state law that abolished a court clerk position won by Calvin Duncan.
Duncan spent nearly three decades in prison in connection with a murder case before being exonerated. He later won the court clerk position in November with 68% of the vote.
Duncan has said he believes state officials eliminated the job in retaliation against him.
Murrill’s Warning to New Orleans Officials
At one point, Murrill warned eight New Orleans officials that they could face removal from office because they opposed the law eliminating Duncan’s position.
Those officials reportedly included Helena Moreno, the mayor, and Jason Williams, the district attorney.
Murrill and Governor Landry have refused to recognize Duncan as exonerated, even though he appears on the National Registry of Exonerations.
Concerns Over Special Prosecutor
Murrill’s successful motion for a stay also raised concerns about the special prosecutor who secured the indictment.
The special prosecutor, former judge Laurie White, previously served as an attorney for Duncan.
The filing also noted that Murrill’s office had represented White in a state lawsuit involving allegations that White gave an employee lingerie at a Christmas party. According to the Times-Picayune, that state lawsuit and a related federal case were dismissed.
The Louisiana Supreme Court said the stay does not prevent motions seeking the recusal of either the special prosecutor or the trial judge.
The Louisiana Supreme Court’s decision to stay the criminal case against Attorney General Liz Murrill has intensified a political and legal battle already filled with controversy. Murrill faces a 16-count indictment accusing her of intimidation and malfeasance, but she argues the charges are retaliatory, meritless and unconstitutional.
The case has also raised major concerns about courtroom secrecy, press access and whether Louisiana law was violated when the grand jury return occurred outside public view. With questions surrounding the trial judge, the special prosecutor and the broader political dispute over New Orleans court reforms, the case is likely to remain a major flashpoint in Louisiana politics.