Louisiana’s constitution gives local district attorneys absolute discretion in deciding whether and how severely to charge defendants. The Constitution also limits the powers of the attorney general.
Yet, Attorney General Liz Murrill and conservative state lawmakers want New Orleans DA Jason Williams to explain why his office has let people convicted years ago get reduced sentences by pleading to reduced charges. That process is called post-conviction relief. It is legal and often necessary.
Let’s be clear: Williams is not the only DA using post-conviction relief. His predecessor, Leon Cannizzaro, used it, too, but not very often.
What has Murrill and some lawmakers upset is Williams's frequent use of it. Williams says he was elected on the promise of righting past wrongs. He got 58 percent of the vote based on that promise. Now, he’s being targeted for keeping that promise.
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