NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – An active arrest warrant has been issued for Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, and the special prosecutor in New Orleans is refusing to remove it — even after the Louisiana Supreme Court issued a stay in the criminal case against her.
Murrill’s office said the special prosecutor refuses to withdraw the warrant despite the court’s order pausing the indictment. Officials said Murrill filed another emergency appeal with the state Supreme Court.
The grand jury indicted Murrill on charges of public intimidation and malfeasance in office Thursday afternoon.
Previous coverageCharges stem from letters to city officials
The charges stem from letters Murrill sent to city leaders in May after Mayor Helena Moreno, District Attorney Jason Williams and five councilmembers supported resolutions Murrill argued violated state law.
The letters came during a dispute over the state legislature’s move to eliminate the city’s criminal clerk of court position and consolidate the office with the civil clerk.
The City Council voted to appoint the interim clerk, former judge Calvin Johnson, and called for a special election — a move Moreno and Williams supported at the time.
The Louisiana Supreme Court later struck down the council’s resolutions, blocked the special election and ordered the civil clerk, Chelsey Richard Napoleon, to serve as the consolidated clerk as required by the new law.
In the letters, Murrill cited a state law she said could allow her to remove the officials from public office.
Motion alleges conflicts of interest
The motion filed Thursday by Murrill’s attorney, Laura Canizzaro Rodrigue, lays out alleged conflicts of interest throughout the grand jury proceedings, including that the state attorney general’s office represented special prosecutor Laurie White, who handed the proceedings against Murrill.
The motion also stated that Judge Leon Roche, who oversaw the proceedings, had overseen attorney general cases.
“As a former prosecutor, I’m angry to see this happening — this is not how we use the criminal justice system,” Rodrigue said. “We have to now question the integrity of what’s happening in the process of our grand jury investigation.”
White said Thursday the case was straightforward, calling it “very open and shut.”
AG Liz Murrill(Supreme Court of Louisiana)
AG Liz Murrill(Supreme Court of Louisiana)
AG Liz Murrill(Supreme Court of Louisiana) Related coverage
Fox 8 legal analyst Joe Raspanti said the Supreme Court had to see good evidence to grant a stay in the case.
“That’s a good sign for (Murrill’s) side,” Raspanti said.
The Supreme Court’s stay also said Judge Roche violated the law when he closed his court for the grand jury’s return. When a reporter challenged that Thursday, a deputy handcuffed the reporter and the reporter’s attorney before releasing them. The Orleans court released a statement saying the secrecy of the grand jury is paramount.
Murrill responds to ruling
In a statement, Murrill said she is grateful to the court for issuing the stay and indicated the legal fight is not over.
“Neither the grand jury investigation law nor the public intimidation law was intended to be used as a political weapon by a rogue, biased, vindictive special prosecutor, judge, and grand jury,” Murrill said. “I hope the legislature in the future will ensure this cannot happen again.”
Murrill said she will continue carrying out her constitutional duties as attorney general.
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