By: Matt Bruce | nola.com | July 8, 2026
All 12 criminal court judges in New Orleans recused themselves Wednesday from Attorney General Liz Murrill’s bombshell indictment, leaving it to the Louisiana Supreme Court to appoint an outside judge over a case it stayed last week.
District Judge Angel Harris, who was randomly allotted the case, held a brief morning hearing to remove herself, and the remaining 11 judges followed suit with recusal orders of their own.
Chief Judge Juana Marine-Lombard then wrote a letter to the Louisiana Supreme Court, informing the high court of the recusals and asking justices to appoint an ad hoc judge over the case.
“We appreciate the expedience of the Criminal Court Judges in recusing the entire bench this morning,” read a statement from Laura Cannizzaro Rodrigue, an attorney for Murrill who appeared in court Wednesday. “Their swift action reflects the unusual and troubling nature of this indictment. We look forward to a vigorous defense of Attorney General Liz Murrill.”
Sources said most of the judges met behind closed doors early Tuesday and agreed to step away from a case the Supreme Court has already frozen while criticizing the grand jury process as well as the legal basis for the 16 charges leveled against Murrill.
They include eight counts each of intimidation and malfeasance in office.
A New Orleans grand jury launched the investigation on its own, sources said, spurred by letters Murrill sent in May to Mayor Helena Moreno and several other New Orleans officials, after a council majority called a special election for a single clerk of court.
Gov. Jeff Landry had just signed a law that dispensed with the Orleans criminal clerk post, effectively removing the clerk-elect, former life prisoner Calvin Duncan, before he could take office.
Murrill warned the city’s elected leaders that she could seek their jobs for “usurping” the powers of Chelsea Richard Napoleon, the elected civil clerk chosen by the Legislature to lead the merged office.
The grand jury, however, found it was Murrill’s actions that were criminal. Murrill cried foul over an investigation led by Laurie White, a former criminal court judge appointed as a special prosecutor.
Though the Supreme Court quickly stayed the case, it landed randomly with Harris, who on Wednesday cited irregularities in the grand jury process and “moving parts” for her decision to step off.
“It is this court’s duty to respect the grand jury process,” Harris said. “And for that reason, I am recusing myself from this case in order to avoid any distraction from allowing the grand jury process to play out.”
Harris noted that White once was a colleague on the criminal court bench, resigning in 2023 after 15 years as a judge.
Harris also noted that the Murrill’s office is prosecuting scores of open cases in her courtroom along with other sections of criminal court, from arrests made by Troop Nola, a dedicated Louisiana State Police unit in the city.
“I personally do not think that I would not be able to be impartial,” Harris said. “But it does give the appearance that I couldn’t for various reasons.”
Murrill’s attorneys are expected to file a motion soon to quash the indictment, which marked an escalation in a running turf war between Republican state lawmakers and Democratic city leaders in New Orleans. The move on Duncan’s seat was part of a broader Republican push to control and shrink the New Orleans courts.
Among the moves, a new law stripped the criminal court of three judgeships. Among the judges who were spared was Leon Roche, who oversaw the grand jury that indicted Murrill. Roche also recused Wednesday.
Rafael Goyeneche, president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, said the recusals are warranted.
“This is a matter that has already been a source of embarrassment,” Goyeneche said.
“For the Supreme Court to take the unprecedented step of staying this indictment is confirmation of mistakes and potential misconduct…That would include the judge and the special prosecutor, and potentially others.”
Landry has pledged to pardon Murrill if she’s convicted. The governor also said on social media last week that he was “ordering the State Police to immediately begin investigating the alleged improprieties of this grand jury and those who ran it!”
Major Nick Manale of Louisiana State Police declined to say Wednesday if the agency has launched a probe.
“Louisiana State Police is coordinating with the Governor’s office and all involved parties regarding this matter. Further information will be released at the appropriate time,” he said.