Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill is asking the state’s highest court to create uniform legal standards aimed at expediting stalled death penalty cases for five inmates who have been on death row for decades.
Murrill filed writs with the Louisiana Supreme Court, arguing that prolonged appeals in the cases of Larry Roy, Antoinette Frank, Robert Miller, David Bowie, and Marcus Reed have denied justice to the victims’ families. While not explicitly demanding swifter executions, her filings seek a clear framework for how courts handle post-conviction relief when inmates have waited decades to file, when that relief is optional, and when the state is prejudiced by the delay.
“It’s shameful they wait decades to see justice carried out,” Murrill said in a statement. “I made a promise to the citizens of Louisiana that we would finally put victims first. I will carry out that promise.”
Murrill, who was elected in 2023, says the current patchwork approach allows some district courts to create what she described as “non-legislatively sanctioned exceptions” in capital cases, leading to inconsistent rulings across the state. She hopes the state Supreme Court will set a precedent that ensures post-conviction claims are processed uniformly and efficiently.
All five inmates were convicted of murder and have completed their direct appeals. However, each remains in extended post-conviction litigation, which Murrill emphasized is not a constitutional requirement but an optional legal step intended to uncover any potential constitutional errors in their trials.
The Cases:
- Larry Roy, known as the “Cheneyville Slasher,” was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend’s ex-husband and her aunt in 1993.
- Antoinette Frank, a former New Orleans police officer, murdered her patrol partner and two restaurant owners during a 1995 robbery.
- Robert Miller raped, robbed, and murdered his landlord in 1997.
- David Bowie fatally shot a man in 1996 over a gambling loss.
- Marcus Reed, convicted in 2010, murdered three brothers.
Murrill has already filed writs in the cases of Roy and Frank, with filings for Miller, Bowie, and Reed expected by the end of June.
Context:
Louisiana resumed executions earlier this year after a 15-year hiatus. In March, Jessie Hoffman became the first inmate executed in the state using nitrogen gas. Hoffman had been convicted of a 1996 kidnapping, rape, and murder.
Murrill’s push to set clearer legal boundaries in death penalty appeals comes amid renewed debate over capital punishment in Louisiana, with advocates and opponents clashing over delays, fairness, and victims’ rights.
“I’m hopeful that the Louisiana Supreme Court will grant review to give clear direction to lower courts,” Murrill said, “and we can finally move these cases forward.”
