Topline
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) on Thursday joined a growing chorus of calls for a local judge to resign after video surfaced of her using racist language, which the judge claims she cannot remember.
FILE – Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) speaks during a news conference on Sept. 1, 2021, in … [+]
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Key Facts
Lafayette, Louisiana, City Court Judge Michelle Odinet plans to take an unpaid leave of absence from the bench after local news outlet the Current published a video on Monday in which Odinet can be heard using the n-word.
“We have a n*****, it’s a n*****, like a roach” Odinet says, before laughing as she reviews footage of her family members chasing down a burglary suspect outside their home last Saturday–the suspect was later arrested.
Odinet, a Republican who was elected to a six-year term as judge in 2020, has claimed she has “zero recollection” of making the comments, telling the Current she was “given a sedative at the time of the video.”
Edwards’ call for Odinet to resign comes after the Lafayette NAACP chapter and the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus also asked for her to step down.
Odinet’s attorney, Dane Ciolino, told Forbes the judge is “humiliated, embarrassed, and sorry for what she has done” and “certainly understands the Governor’s view of her inappropriate statements,” but stopped short of saying she planned to resign.
Crucial Quote
“There is no place for that kind of language, especially among members of the judiciary who have the most important role in the administration of the justice in our state,” Edwards said at his end-of-year news conference Thursday.
Big Number
30.9%. That’s the percentage of Lafayette’s population that is Black, according to the most recent data from the Census Bureau.
Key Background
Odinet was elected last year after capturing 57% of the vote, defeating an independent candidate for what was an open judge seat after running on a campaign promising to make the courtroom more accessible to low-income people. Odinet mainly hears cases involving misdemeanors, traffic violations and small claims in her role as City Court judge.
Further Reading
Gov. John Bel Edwards: Lafayette Judge Michelle Odinet ‘should resign’ after racial slurs on video (Acadiana Advocate)
Racist remarks captured in video of Lafayette judge’s family cheering footage of foiled burglary (Current)
Michelle Odinet wins Lafayette city court judge seat (Acadiana Advocate)
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