Black Judge Under Fire For Calling Out Racism Could Be Removed From Over 300 Cases

The first Black woman elected to serve as a judge in Louisiana's 16th Judicial District, has come under fire for speaking out against racial injustice.

Last month, the 16th Judicial District Attorney's Office in New Iberia, La., began requesting that Lori Landry be recused from pending criminal cases on the grounds that she "is biased or prejudiced against this office such that she cannot be fair or impartial." Since then, the situation has escalated.

As of Wednesday, Landry was facing more than 300 virtually identical motions asking that she be removed from upcoming cases.

Some examples being used against Landry 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 -- a former prosecutor -- was first elected to the bench in 2002, after spending nearly nine years at the same district attorney's office that is now accusing her of unfair treatment. Landry cannot hear or decide on cases while the motion to remove her is being considered.

Watch the 11.1.19 edition of #RolandMartinUnfiltered

-

#RolandMartinUnfiltered partner: Life Luxe Jazz

Can't make it to Los Cabos for the Life Luxe Jazz Fest? Get your live stream pass at

Life Luxe Jazz is the experience of a lifetime, delivering top-notch music in an upscale destination. The weekend-long event is held at the Omnia Dayclub Los Cabos, which is nestled on the Sea of Cortez in the celebrity playground of Los Cabos, Mexico. For more information visit the website at lifeluxejazz.com.

-

📘 Check out #RolandsBookClub and some of his favorite tech gear

✅ NOW AVAILABLE#RolandMartinUnfiltered Merch

✅ Subscribe to the #RolandMartin YouTube channel

✅ Join the #RolandMartinUnfiltered #BringTheFunk Fan Club to support factbased independent journalism

✅ Join the Roland Martin and #RolandMartinUnfiltered mailing list

The Roland S. Martin YouTube channel is a news reporting site covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended.

-