The Louisiana Supreme Court issued a stay in the indictment of its Attorney General Liz Murrill (R) following a New Orleans grand jury charging her with intimidation and malfeasance.
Murrill was accused of warning officials that their jobs were at risk if they opposed a new law combining the city’s criminal and district clerks of court. An arrest warrant was issued with a bond set at $400,000. She now faces 8 counts of malfeasance and 8 counts of intimidation.
“While the record before this Court is undeveloped, there is considerable support for the view that the Attorney General is likely to succeed on the merits of a motion to quash this indictment on either a legal basis or due to apparent procedural irregularities,” the state Supreme Court wrote, as per The Hill, explaining, “The Attorney General makes a compelling argument concerning the disturbing defects in the grand jury proceedings and in the trial court’s handlings of those proceedings.”
The ruling added, “This indictment appears to turn the law on its head and flows from what appear to be extraordinary procedural defects and improprieties.”
Murrill responded to the stay in a statement on X, saying she is “grateful to the Louisiana Supreme Court for swiftly issuing a stay in this matter.”
“The constitution and laws of Louisiana impose a wide swath of duties on the Attorney General. I will continue to carry out those duties to the best of my ability. This matter is not over. I will still need to file the necessary motions to seek a dismissal, which will be forthcoming. I want to thank the many friends and supporters who have expressed their support and encouragement,” she wrote.
“I hope this political witch hunt is not a harbinger of things to come, but I fear that it is. 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. I hope the legislature in the future will ensure this cannot happen again. I hope everyone enjoys a safe and happy 4th of July. Happy birthday, America. Land of the Free and Home of the Brave!”
