New Orleans: Louisiana 最高法院裁定 Murrill 案刑事调查优先于民事记录之争
路易斯安那州最高法院近日裁定，围绕州总检察长 Liz Murrill 被起诉一事的大陪审团程序刑事调查优先进行。法院驳回了与 Murrill 民事诉讼相关的三项令状申请，认定她针对 New Orleans 多名官员的民事案件不应妨碍正在进行的刑事调查。
法院同时认定，只有现任特别检察官 Collin Sims 有权依据《公共记录法》援引刑事调查豁免；前特别检察官 Laurie White 因已不再担任该职，已无权以调查为由扣住记录。Sims 此前表示，他对大陪审团程序与 Murrill 被起诉一事的调查尚处于初期阶段。Murrill 的民事律师团队连日来一直在追索与大陪审团程序相关的通讯等记录，并已向市长 Helena Moreno、市议会多名成员与 Orleans Parish 地区检察官 Jason Williams 发出作证传票。
此案源于一名 Orleans Parish 大陪审团以 16 项公共恐吓与渎职罪名起诉 Murrill，指控源于州议会通过涉及 Orleans Parish 法院系统合并的立法后，她向市府官员发出的信件。州最高法院此前已叫停该起诉，White 于 7月22日撤销全部指控。Murrill 否认有任何不当行为，并表示导致这起事件的「不负责任且非法的行为绝不能重演」。
在记录诉讼中，一名法官已批准传票，要求 White 与 Williams 提交与起诉相关的文件，White 随后申请撤销针对她的传票。Orleans Parish 刑事地区法院全体法官已回避此案，州最高法院已指定一名退休法官主持审理。
New Orleans: Louisiana Supreme Court Puts Criminal Probe Ahead of Murrill's Civil Records Fight
The Louisiana Supreme Court has ruled that the criminal investigation into the grand jury proceedings behind Attorney General Liz Murrill's indictment takes priority. The court denied three writs tied to the civil case Murrill is pursuing against New Orleans leaders, holding that the civil case should not impede the active criminal investigation.
The court also held that only Special Prosecutor Collin Sims can invoke the criminal investigation exemption under the Public Records Act; Laurie White lost that ability because she is no longer the special prosecutor. Sims has said his investigation into the grand jury proceedings and Murrill's indictment is in its beginning stages. Murrill's civil attorneys have been seeking communications and other records tied to the proceedings, and subpoenas to testify were issued to Mayor Helena Moreno, several council members and Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams.
A New Orleans grand jury had indicted Murrill on 16 counts of public intimidation and malfeasance in office over letters she sent to city officials after the legislature passed a law involving the Orleans Parish court system. The state Supreme Court stayed the prosecution, and White dismissed all counts on July 22. Murrill denied wrongdoing and said the irresponsible and illegal actions that led to the case must never happen again.
In the records fight, a judge approved subpoenas directing White and Williams to produce documents tied to the indictment, and White later moved to quash hers. Every judge on the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court bench has recused themselves, and the state Supreme Court appointed a retired judge to oversee the proceedings.
来源：GSM·美国（原文链接）
图片来源：图片来源：Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 2.5，作者 Infrogmation（New Orleans 法院大楼实景） | Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5, by Infrogmation (courthouse building, New Orleans)
