Story at a glance
- Louisiana District Judge Jessie LeBlanc reportedly used the ‘n-word’ over text when describing a court employee and parish deputy.
- Democratic Governor Edwards released a statement calling for her resignation.
- LeBlanc has been embroiled in scandal over an extramarital affair with a parish sheriff.
Democrat Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has joined the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus in calling on District Judge Jessie LeBlanc to resign after she admitted to using racial slurs toward a parish deputy and a court employee, both of whom are black, according to local reports.
“The admitted and repeated use of racial slurs by a judge who has taken an oath to administer justice fairly and impartially is wrong, period, the governor said. There is never any circumstance or context in which such derogatory and degrading language is okay,” Edwards said in a press release.
“Sadly, inequities still exist in society and in our judicial system,” Edwards said. “Judge LeBlanc has compromised her ability to preside as a judge, and she has damaged the judiciary. She should resign. The people of the 23rd Judicial District and our state deserve better.”
LeBlanc reportedly admitted to using the ‘n-word’ during an interview on WAFB-TV on Sunday. According to The Advocate, she initially denied using racist language when referring to both employees.
The messages are said to have come from LeBlanc after receiving a mysterious package containing phone records of former Assumption Parish Chief Deputy Bruce Prejean and possible calls to the aforementioned court employee — a law clerk. Frightened, she allegedly used the ‘n-word’ when speculating who sent the package, per The Advocate.
“I profusely apologize for that. I should have never said it,” she told WAFB-TV.
The embattled judge had previously drawn public ire when it was revealed she had an affair with Prejean while married. Due to the potential conflict of interest, Assumption Parish District Attorney Ricky Babin and the Chief Public Defender Alan Robert jointly filed a motion in January to have LeBlanc recused from more than 170 pending criminal cases, News Star reports.
The Chairman of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus Sen. Jimmy Harris said to The Advocate that “such behavior will no longer be overlooked or tolerated in our great state,” regarding LeBlanc’s admission.
LeBlanc reportedly has no intention to resign. Jill Craft, the attorney representing LeBlanc, said that her client’s private statements were taken out of context and that she can sit as a district judge without bias, writes The Advocate.
Craft continued to say that Edwards is not a member of the judicial branch and that “his attention should be directed” towards his role as governor.
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