Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill.
On September 20, 2023, we very reluctantly and (being honest) very begrudgingly issued this “back-handed endorsement” of Jeff Landry to be Louisiana’s next Governor. The video in that feature included this 34-second segment in which we expressed hope, however faint that hope may be, that Landry would be brave enough to take the bold step of proposing cameras in courtrooms:
9/20/23: 34-second segment of Burns’ “back-handed endorsement” of Jeff Landry for Governor of Louisiana where he references what a game changer it would be for Burns were Landry to back cameras in courtrooms.
On Friday, April 24, 2026, in the immediate aftermath of the Mall of Louisiana shooting, Gov. Landry went on his infamous “hug a thug” tirade. What got lost in the shuffle of that tirade was both the reporter’s actual question of Landry and his response directly to that reporter’s question.
Instead, all the media focused upon was his subsequent “hug a thug” commentary. Let’s take a moment to hear the reporter’s question entailing the potential for advancing Landry’s goal of greater judicial accountability via cameras in courtrooms and Landry’s immediate response and, yes, we will allow the clip to continue on to include the “hug a thug” commentary:
4/24/26: Landry responds to the reporter’s question on cameras in courtrooms (which the media never focused upon but instead only included his “hug a thug” comments after his response to the question).
We would state that Landry’s response strictly from his pouring cold water over cameras in courtrooms (it’s hard to even argue slightly against his other commentary) was a disappointment to us; however, we could easily know his response, and that’s why our “back-handed endorsement” of him was, as some described our video on that segment, “weak and depressing.” Landry would get a grade of “A” from us for his efforts to do precisely as former Gov. Bobby Jindal did and obtain huge headlines for big companies willing to provide jobs for huge projects. Nobody would argue with his success in that regard.
Landry, however, again, just like Jindal, would flatly get an “F” grade from us regarding support of small businesses by way of reducing occupational licensing burdens in this state and, in fact, he has been nothing short of downright hypocritical entailing those initiatives.
Liz Murrill, Louisiana’s Republican Attorney General and the first female AG in Louisiana history, who has been in office since January 2024, was indicted on July 2, 2026, by a New Orleans grand jury on 16 felony counts: eight for malfeasance in office and eight for public intimidation/retaliation against public officials.
Background of the Dispute
The charges stem from letters Murrill sent in May 2026 to New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, District Attorney Jason Williams, five City Council members, and retired Judge Calvin Johnson. These followed the Louisiana Legislature’s passage of a bill (Act 15) merging Orleans Parish’s criminal and civil courts.
- The law abolished the separate criminal clerk’s office (held by Calvin Duncan) and transferred its duties to the civil clerk’s office (held by Chelsey Richard Napoleon), renaming it the unified Clerk of Court.
- New Orleans officials responded by attempting to appoint Johnson as interim clerk and calling a special election, which Murrill viewed as creating a nonexistent “vacancy” and violating state law.
- In her letters (publicly posted on the AG’s website), Murrill warned that these actions could trigger Louisiana’s “usurper” statutes, potentially leading to personal liability, fines, imprisonment, and removal from office by Gov. Landry. She urged them to rescind the resolutions and await Louisiana Supreme Court guidance.
Orleans Parish officials, including Mayor Moreno, described the letters as threats and intimidation aimed at influencing official duties.
Indictment and Supreme Court Intervention
A special prosecutor (former Judge Laurie White) was appointed. Critics, including Murrill’s team, alleged procedural flaws, conflicts of interest (e.g., White’s prior representation of Duncan), leaks, and improper handling of the grand jury.
On July 3, 2026 (the day after the indictment), the Louisiana Supreme Court (majority Republican-elected justices) swiftly granted Murrill’s emergency request for a stay, halting the prosecution. The court cited “compelling” arguments about “disturbing defects” in the grand jury proceedings and trial court handling, noting the indictment appeared to “turn the law on its head” due to “extraordinary procedural defects and improprieties.” It signaled Murrill was likely to succeed on a motion to quash the indictment.
- The court later recalled an active arrest warrant (bond had been set at $400,000 total).
- Two justices dissented.
Reactions and Context
Murrill and Governor Jeff Landry called it a “political witch hunt,” “retaliatory,” and a “kangaroo” proceeding by opponents of her efforts against crime and corruption in New Orleans. Murrill plans to file motions to dismiss.
This reflects deep partisan and regional tensions between the Republican-controlled state government and Democratic-led New Orleans. As of July 5, 2026, the case remains stayed, with proceedings paused pending further motions in lower court.
We actually believe that Gov. Landry and AG Liz Murrill are being extremely kind to merely use terms such as “political witch hunt,” “retaliatory,” and a “kangaroo” proceeding! What transpired in that New Orleans Courtroom is so far beyond the pale for any legal proceeding we’ve ever observed in Louisiana that we contend that the players involved should be criminally prosecuted themselves for their actions!
This sordid scandal was not merely a “kangaroo” proceeding, but it was a complete and total train wreck which has made an utter and complete mockery of not only the judicial process in Orleans Parish, but the scenario made a mockery of the entire City of New Orleans’ operations and constituted a mockery of the entire State of Louisiana.
We, as citizens, have every right to not have to read about these proceedings (which is itself difficult given the attempts to have a cleared courtroom with multiple journalists placed in handcuffs for trying to merely cover the story), but we should have every right to view these proceedings on camera from inside the courtroom!
Regarding the permissive granting of cameras in courtrooms at the state level:
“Yes” or permissive policies apply in the vast majority. Examples include broad access in states like Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and others, with varying exceptions (e.g., no jury selection, no jurors, closed proceedings, juveniles, or certain sensitive cases).
Restrictive or “No” states (typically requiring special permission or effectively barring routine use, especially at trial level): Delaware, Iowa, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania are frequently cited as the most restrictive (often described as the primary holdouts prohibiting most camera use).
As anyone following this blog would know, we’ve spent an enormous amount of time in Louisiana courtrooms, and we’ve done our best to report upon proceedings in courtrooms (often on matters no other media outlets cover), but we’ve been forced to do our site viewers a disservice by not being able to provide video footage to ensure our reporting is totally accurate and provide emotion and voice inflection both of attorneys posing arguments and of judges making commentary beyond the words “sustained” and “overruled” when an attorney poses an objection to a question opposing counsel his posed of a witness.
It would certainly be unfortunate if i took this Murrill travesty, and we think what has transpired down in New Orleans goes way beyond even having a modicum of professionalism or ethics in the performance of duties, to cause Gov. Landry to have a “Damascus Road Experience” on his stand on cameras in courtrooms. Nevertheless, were it to have that effect on him, we would certainly openly welcome such a transformation on Landry’s part, and we think the whole unfortunate sordid Murrill scandal would at least pay a huge dividend!