Grand jury indicts Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – An Orleans Parish grand jury has indicted Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill in connection with a probe into alleged threats she made to New Orleans city leaders in May, according to Orleans Criminal Court Judge Laurie White.

A $400,000 bond was set for Murrill, according to official records.

The attorney general is facing 16 felony counts: eight counts of public intimidation and eight counts of malfeasance in office.

Murrill’s letters

The decision comes after sources told Fox 8 Tuesday evening the grand jury began investigating letters Murrill sent Mayor Helena Moreno, District Attorney Jason Williams and five city councilmembers in May.

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.

Murrill defended the letters Wednesday but said she had no direct knowledge of any grand jury inquiry into them.

In those letters, Murrill warned the officials their actions could trigger “serious consequences” under Louisiana law, including possible removal from office.

In a written statement released by her office, Murrill said:

“After taking on violent crime and entrenched corruption in New Orleans, it’s no surprise the status quo is looking for ways to stop me.

“This unprecedented action and the corrupt indictments spawned from it are retaliatory, meritless, and unconstitutional. After confidential information was illegally leaked to members of the press by the grand jury or the improperly appointed, unqualified special prosecutor, there are now indications that the court handcuffed and locked out members of the media — and threatened them with contempt — in clear violation of Louisiana law. It is beyond ironic that the improperly appointed special prosecutor, who called my office and violated the confidentiality of the grand jury proceedings herself, claims protecting confidentiality justified closing the courtroom. And the grand jury that leaked information like a sinking ship hardly seemed concerned about privacy.

“I will be immediately filing an emergency supervisory writ with the Louisiana Supreme Court. Hopefully this will be sorted out quickly.

“I will not back down. I will continue enforcing the law, fighting corruption, and doing the job the people of Louisiana elected me to do.”

Shortly after receiving the letter back in May, Mayor Moreno had posted a defiant response on social media, saying Louisiana criminal law prohibits threats or intimidation against public officials to influence their policies or decisions.

Public officials react

Following Murrill’s indictment, Moreno issued a statement saying “today’s development involving the Attorney General is a matter for the courts.”

“My focus, as always, remains on fulfilling the responsibilities the people of New Orleans elected me to carry out,” she said. ”My priority is to keep delivering results, keep building on that progress, and keep moving New Orleans forward.”

In response to the indictment, Governor Jeff Landry posted on X that he will pardon Murrill “as fast as the law allows.”

“I would like to inform the great citizens of Louisiana who care about the rule of law, that our fabulous [Attorney General Murrill] will not have to worry about having her reputation tarnished by this kangaroo grand jury or the Orleans Kangaroo court as I will pardon her as fast as the law allows,” he said. “The criminal justice system is a circus at its finest in Orleans and we will not have any of that!”

Later, Landry released a statement saying he is ordering the State Police to investigate the grand jury.

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