Black Woman Judge Under Attack for Calling Out Racism

By N. Jamiyla Chisholm Oct 31, 2019

Judge Lori Landry is the first Black woman elected to Louisiana’s 16th Judicial District, but people who don’t like her vocal stance against racism and reportedly want her removed, The Washington Post revealed in an article published on Thursday (October 31).

On September 17, the 16th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in New Iberia filed to have Landry removed from more than 300 criminal cases, arguing that she is biased for Black people and against the predominantly White DA’s office and cannot properly do her job.  

Some examples being used against Landry, according to The Post, are comments she reportedly made from the bench, such as “[Black] men do not survive traffic stops with the police.” She also said that officers use the habitual offender statute “selectively, which disproportionately puts [Black people] in more harm or risk than anyone else.” Landry cannot hear or decide on cases while the motion to remove her is being considered. 

“This is an attempt to unseat me and overturn the vote of the people,” Landry told the The Daily Iberian earlier this month. Many agree with her.

“The truth is that people with biases are allowed to serve as judges and jurors in our system, but only if they have the biases considered correct, which means biases in favor of the prosecution,” The Appeal wrote in a story on Landry’s battle that was published on October 29. Nearly 100 supporters, mostly Black, reportedly rallied for the judge on October 11. “We will not allow the deceptive and evil and wicked practice and injustices of this system in this District Attorney’s office to remove our sister from any case that she is the chief judge residing over,” supporter Donald Thompson told KLFY.

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