Last week, a whistleblower, Orleans Clerk of Court Darren Lombard, alerted the press that two large trailers full of sensitive Orleans Parish court records were dumped in a landfill.
Friday, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced that state police will investigate the matter.
Landry announced the investigation on X, where he shared his letter to the Louisiana State Police.
“I am ordering the Louisiana State Police to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the recent discovery that Orleans Parish Criminal Court case files were dumped in a landfill," Landry's letter states. "This incident represents significant risks to the integrity of our criminal justice system. The deliberate disposal of these sensitive documents undermines public trust and jeopardizes ongoing investigations and the protections of victims’ rights.”
The letter calls for the swift prosecution of anyone accountable for the disposal.
The files were confirmed to hold information about cases that include crimes as serious as capital murder and aggravated rape. Many of the documents were classified as permanent, and Lombard claims the city moved two trailers full of files to a landfill without formal notice.
Now, the recovery effort is in effect. However, Lombard says many of the files are permanently lost.
Louisiana State Attorney General Liz Murrill also released a statement following Landry’s investigation announcement, saying, “I have spoken to the Orleans Parish Criminal Clerk of Court and am setting up a meeting to discuss further how this occurred. I share the Governor’s concerns. I too have major questions about the nature and identification of records, and if they were permanently lost.”
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