BATON ROUGE, LA – Attorney General Jeff Landry delivered a major win to crime victims and their families with the Louisiana Supreme Court ruling today that pardons, acts of mercy and the power of clemency belong to the governor — not district attorneys or the courts.

“Crime is ravaging our State; and instead of doing more to increase public safety, some officials have been fueling the fire,” said Attorney General Jeff Landry. “I am proud to fight for crime victims; and today, we ensured they receive the justice they were promised.”

In 2021, the Legislature passed SB 186 and John Bel Edwards signed it into law as Act 104. The measure enabled district attorneys to issue pardons to violent offenders without limitation, constraint, or even factual evidence proving innocence.

“This unconstitutional legislation resulted in some rapists and murderers receiving ‘get out of jail free’ cards,” explained Attorney General Landry. “That recklessness ends now.”

The Louisiana Constitution does not provide district attorneys with the right to serve as kings over fiefdoms – issuing pardons to anyone at all without reason. Pardons, acts of mercy, and the power of clemency have belonged to the governor since 1804.

“I am thankful our Supreme Court agreed, recognizing that district attorneys do not have the power to toss out final convictions of any defendant just because they feel like it,” concluded Attorney General Landry. “I commend my Assistant Attorneys General Grant Willis and Christopher Walters for their exceptional legal work on this case.”