N-Word At Home No Basis For Discipline Per Louisiana Hearing Committee

A Louisiana Hearing Committee has found no ethical violation in a (now former) judge's use of the "n" word in her home.

The report - filed today - involves an incident that took place after an attempted burglary incident of vehicles outside the judge's home.

While at home and reviewing a video surveillance tape on her home security system, she was joined by her son and his friends and was overheard saying

We have a n*****, it's a n*****, like a roach.

The recorded video was posted on the interest and "widely circulated."

The judge resigned several days later.

According to the committee

There is no ground for discipline under the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct for profanities or uncivil language used by a lawyer in their own home.

The committee noted that the self-imposed sanction of resignation to be "more onerous than any discipline sought by the ODC such that any requested discipline is superfluous."

The Acadiana Advocate reported on the resignation.

More than 100 people filed complaints with the Louisiana Judiciary Commission after seeing the video. Even Saturday Night Live mentioned the judge after news of the slurs traveled worldwide.

(Mike Frisch)