Felony Charges Against Louisiana Attorney General Dismissed
Felony criminal charges against Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill have been dismissed by a special prosecutor. Murrill was initially indicted on allegations of threatening New Orleans officials opposing a Republican-led judicial overhaul. The charges were dropped after the Louisiana Supreme Court cited procedural errors in the indictment process.
New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams, Mayor Helena Moreno, and five City Council members had advocated for the dismissal, sending a letter to special prosecutor Laurie White, who acted on it shortly thereafter. Murrill, a Republican, expressed her discontent on social media, stating, “This case should have NEVER been started because there was NO crime.”
Orleans Parish court records showed that White presented the letters to a judge before ordering the case closed. Requests for comment from White have not been answered. The case highlights growing tensions between Republican state leaders and Democratic officials in New Orleans.
In a show of support, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry had previously assured a swift pardon for Murrill, criticizing the court proceedings as an “Orleans Kangaroo court.” The initial charges included intimidation and malfeasance, stemming from a grand jury’s indictment that accused Murrill of threatening public officials.
The dispute is part of a larger conflict over a law that dissolved a court clerk’s office previously won by exoneree Calvin Duncan. Republican proponents argue that merging it with another office would increase efficiency. New Orleans leaders, however, opposed the move and scheduled a special election to allow Duncan to contest the new position.
Murrill had warned local officials about potential consequences for supporting what she called an unauthorized officeholder, referencing state “usurper” laws.
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Associated Press reporter Jack Brook contributed to this story.
