Lawyers for Attorney General Liz Murrill asked a judge Monday to issue subpoenas to Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams and special prosecutor Laurie White for records about how a state grand jury came to over alleged threats to New Orleans leaders.
The subpoena requests are part of Murrill’s attempt to have the criminal case against her thrown out before she must answer to 16 felony counts of public intimidation and malfeasance in office from a July 2 indictment.
The Louisiana Supreme Court swiftly before Murrill could be booked. Last week, the high court named a retired appeals court judge, Robert Chaisson, to oversee it after the 12 judges on the Orleans Parish criminal court recused themselves. Chaisson had not yet signed the subpoenas as of late Monday.
Murrill is accused of acting illegally when she sent letters in May to Mayor Helena Moreno, Williams and five City Council members. The letters suggested their jobs could be at risk if they continued to back a special election for a unified court clerk for the city.
The Legislature had just merged New Orleans’ civil and criminal court clerk offices in a bill that declared the elected civil clerk, Chelsey Richard Napoleon, its leader.
The new law cost criminal clerk-elect Calvin Duncan his post and set off a pitting state Republican leaders against the city’s Democratic leadership. The council majority argued that the merged clerk’s office was a new one that called for an election. The Louisiana Supreme Court later disagreed.
Williams recused his office after the grand jury sought to investigate Murrill, sources have said. District Judge Leon Roche went on to appoint White, a former criminal court judge who stepped down in 2023, to handle the case.
The subpoenas to Williams and White each seek emails and other communications related to the case against Murrill, the grand jury and the investigation.
Among the records that Murrill’s attorneys want from Williams are correspondence between the DA or his staff and Moreno, City Council President JP Morrell, former Congressman Cedric Richmond, state Sen. Gary Carter or members of the news media.
From White, Murrill’s attorneys want any correspondence the special prosecutor has had with Williams, Roche, Moreno, or members of the news media. Murrill’s attorneys are seeking records dating to March 1.
Special prosecutor Laurie White announces the indictment of Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill outside the Orleans Criminal District Court building in New Orleans, Thursday, July 2, 2026.
STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Williams’ office could not be immediately reached for comment Monday about the subpoena requests. White declined to comment.
The subpoenas follow letters Murrill’s attorneys sent last week to Moreno, Williams, White and the five council members who backed a special election, demanding they retain all messages and phone records related to the grand jury investigation or Murrill’s alleged threats. Those letters suggest a possible civil lawsuit in the offing.
In its order staying the case against Murrill, the Louisiana Supreme Court took issue with the indictment and noted possible conflicts in White’s oversight.
The court’s unsigned opinion cited “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.”
Murrill’s attorneys had not yet filed that motion Monday.
Gov. Jeff Landry has said he will pardon Murrill in the event of a conviction.