Louisiana High Court Halts AG Murrill Indictment Within Hours of Charges

The Louisiana Supreme Court issued an emergency stay Tuesday, freezing a 16-count grand jury indictment against sitting Attorney General Liz Murrill less than a day after it was handed down.

A New Orleans grand jury returned 16 counts of malfeasance in office and intimidation against Louisiana AG Liz Murrill.
The Louisiana Supreme Court issued a stay of the indictment within hours of the charges being filed.
The counts mark one of the most serious criminal proceedings against a sitting Louisiana attorney general in modern state history.
The stay temporarily halts any prosecution while the high court considers the matter further.
No date has been set for the court's next action on the case.

The Louisiana Supreme Court issued an emergency stay Tuesday blocking the prosecution of state Attorney General Liz Murrill, hours after a New Orleans grand jury returned 16 criminal counts against her.

The grand jury charged Murrill with malfeasance in office and intimidation, according to court records reviewed by the Wail. The indictment was handed up Monday.

The high court's intervention came with unusual speed, freezing the case before prosecutors could take any further action against the sitting attorney general.

Murrill, a Republican, has served as Louisiana's attorney general since January 2024. She has been a prominent figure in multistate litigation against the Biden and Trump administrations on separate fronts.

The specific conduct underlying the 16 counts was not detailed in documents immediately available to the Wail. Sources familiar with the proceedings told the Wail that the charges stem from Murrill's conduct in office, though no additional detail was confirmed as of publication.

The Louisiana Supreme Court has not scheduled oral argument or set a timeline for ruling on whether the stay will remain in place. The case is expected to return before the court in the coming weeks.