Prosecutors want Black judge recused for criticizing racist conviction

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Louisiana DA Wants Black Judge Removed For Criticism Of Racist Conviction Practice

Telling the truth is not always admirable to those who make their living off propagating a lie.

According to USAToday, prosecutors in Iberia Parish, Louisiana want Judge Lori Landry recused from over 300 criminal cases because she had the temerity, the audacity, the unmitigated gall, to tell those same prosecutors that they are way too eager to incarcerate Black bodies. Judge Landry even went so far as to say that the DA engages in “trickery” to ensure that melanated folks spend time in prison.

Prosecutors with 16th Judicial District Attorney Bo Duhé’s office filed motions for recusal in Landry’s cases, arguing she should be removed because she is “biased or prejudiced against (the DA’s office) such that she cannot be fair or impartial.”

So, she can’t be “fair or impartial” because she calls out the fact that the janky a$$ DA is unfair and extremely partial? Got it.

First Assistant District Attorney Robert Vines, who is white, argued in the recusal motion that Landry has “engaged in abusive, inappropriate and/or bullying behavior” toward prosecutors, staff of the district attorney’s office, victims and witnesses.

In response, Landry is quoted by The Daily Iberian as saying:

“This is a violation of the constitutional rights of the people who elected me,” The Daily Iberian quoted Landry as saying last month during a hearing when Vines began filing recusal motions in cases on her docket.

Close to 100 people including community leaders stood in front of the Iberian Parish courthouse to come to Landry’s defense against the crooked system.

“It’s despicable that just because the district attorney’s office can’t get their way that they’re going to decide, ‘Well we want you to be removed.’ Like he has that much power,” said Khadijah Rashad, who helped organize Landry’s supporters.

There is also an online campaign to support the judge.

“We know of the trickery and injustice that is happening in the 16th JDC with this very targeted, bullying, and racist tactic to have Judge Landry removed from hearing all criminal cases in the 16th JDC because she does not want to play jump rope or be friends with the DA Office,” Robby Carrier-Bethel posted on Facebook. “Judge Landry is honorable, and a woman of God that has brought compassion, Integrity and judicial fairness with her to the bench (something all of them should have).”

Dirty game.