In a surprising turn of events, the felony charges against Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill were dismissed on Wednesday. The charges had accused her of threatening the employment of New Orleans officials who opposed a Republican-driven court reformation in the predominantly Democratic city.
The case initially stalled after the July 2 indictment when the Louisiana Supreme Court highlighted procedural errors by the local court and special prosecutor. This week, special prosecutor Laurie White officially dropped the case following a request from New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams, Mayor Helena Moreno, and five City Council members.
Murrill responded to the dismissal with a strong statement on social media: “This case should have NEVER been started because there was NO crime. This outcome will not deter my efforts to get to the bottom of this. The irresponsible and illegal actions that led to this abuse of the criminal justice system need to never happen again.”
Orleans Parish court records indicate that White submitted the City Council’s letters and the prosecutor’s request to the judge prior to dismissing each charge. Subsequently, the case was marked as “closed.” White has not yet commented on the matter.
The incident highlights the growing tensions between Louisiana’s Republican-dominated state leadership and the Democratic leaders of New Orleans. Republican Governor Jeff Landry, who had pledged a swift pardon for Murrill, criticized the process as an “Orleans Kangaroo court.”
Earlier this year, Moreno accused Murrill of intimidating public officials. The grand jury’s initial 16-count indictment charged Murrill with intimidation and malfeasance.
The political discord stems from a legislative change that dissolved a court clerk position won by Calvin Duncan, an exoneree with nearly 30 years in prison. The role was merged with another clerk’s office, a move Republicans argued would enhance judicial efficiency. New Orleans leaders resisted, scheduling a special election in May to allow Duncan to contend for the new position. In response, Murrill warned local officials they risked losing their positions by supporting an unauthorized officeholder, citing state “usurper” laws.
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