CON NFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST: U.S. FIGHTS TO OPEN STRAIT OF HORMUZ 2A
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T u e s d ay, M ay 5, 2026
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Duncan’s reign brief at clerk’s office Appeals court ruling forces him out as legal battle continues
BY MATT BRUCE
day night that declared unconstitutional a new law to eliminate his elected job, barring it from being Calvin Duncan showed up for enforced. With the temporary order from work before 8 a.m. Monday, eager for his first day as Orleans Parish U.S. District Judge John deGravclerk of Criminal Court — a post elles in place, Duncan toured officthat state lawmakers voted last es and recordkeeping vaults with week to abolish. outgoing Clerk Darren Lombard, The former life prisoner arrived filled out paperwork for the new with a throng of supporters, and a job and posed for photos seated federal judge’s order issued Sun- behind a desk before receiving the
Staff writer
office keys. But by noon Monday, he had left the office. An order from a federal appeals court Monday sent Duncan walking out without the title and only questions about whether he will return to it as its elected leader. The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in a two-sentence order stayed the court ruling from deGravelles, prompted by a request
from Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. Whether Duncan’s brief time there Monday morning counts as having “assumed” the office became one of several issues percolating Monday as a court battle began to play out over a Duncan relatively obscure office that handles criminal court filings and oversees New Orleans
Woodfork pledges integrity, accountability at swearing-in
elections. Duncan amassed more than 68% of votes in November to defeat Lombard, a one-term incumbent, on a campaign of reform after a heated race during which both Lombard and Murrill challenged his claim of exoneration. A former inmate counsel at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola for two decades, Duncan has called the bill to ax the criminal clerk’s post a personal attack on
ä See DUNCAN, page 4A
Court allows abortion pills by mail for now La. at center of legal debate over access to drugs
BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
14 counts of malfeasance in office, three counts apiece for obstruction of justice and filing or maintaining false public records, along with 10 related conspiracy charges. Bianka Brown, Hutson’s chief financial officer, was indicted with her on 20 counts. Details on those charges remain sketchy. Reciting Scripture, those who spoke at Monday’s ceremony described Woodfork’s faith as a key factor heralding a new era at the beleaguered agency. “If you watch the news, you know that the jail is in a lot of trouble right now,”
WASHINGTON — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Monday issued an order that temporarily allows women seeking abortions to obtain the drug mifepristone at pharmacies or through the mail, without an in-person visit to a doctor. Alito lifted the ban without comment, as is usual until the Supreme Court decides whether to hear a case. Alito’s order pauses a 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ order until Monday. In the meantime, Alito asked the parties to submit briefs. Ruling Friday in a law- Alito suit brought by Louisiana, the 5th Circuit, based in New Orleans, ruled that mifepristone could not be ordered by or mailed to women because, partially, it undermined the state’s ban on abortions after the 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Louisiana is among the 13 states that have outlawed abortions. The state contends that abortions are continuing in the state because of the availability of the mail-order drugs. The pills are responsible for two-thirds of abortions in the U.S., according to Guttmacher Institute, a New York-based nonprofit that studies reproductive issues. The drug regimen was approved in 2000. The Food and Drug Administration had rules to allow mifepristone, which along with the drug misoprostol, induces a miscarriage, only after the woman consulted in person with a physician. The FDA lifted that requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, it made permanent the ability to buy the pills via
ä See WOODFORK, page 4A
ä See ABORTION, page 5A
STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER
Orleans Parish Sheriff Michelle Woodfork, right, is surrounded by her family as she is sworn in by U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Dana Douglas at a ceremony at Gallier Hall in New Orleans on Monday.
New sheriff takes over office grappling with challenges BY JOHN SIMERMAN
Staff writer
Hundreds of supporters packed Gallier Hall in downtown New Orleans on Monday morning for the swearing-in of Orleans Parish Sheriff Michelle Woodfork to an office fraught with challenges.
“Finally, we’re here,” said Woodfork, 56, after a cousin, U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Dana Douglas, led her in the oath of office. Woodfork, a career police officer who served as interim superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department, won election in October to take over a Sheriff’s Office beset by troubles and short staffing at the city’s 10-year-old lockup, the Orleans Justice Center. Woodfork enters office as its most recent occupant, Susan Hutson, faces a state indictment handed up last week alleging 30 felony corruption counts. The charges against Hutson include
Louisiana voters report confusion over election changes Officials say early voting numbers normal
Jeff Landry’s order on Thursday canceling the House elections — and lawsuits filed by Democrats challenging the court ruling and the governor’s order. BY TYLER BRIDGES Election officials did their best Staff writer to minimize the turmoil, training election commissioners beforeWidespread confusion. That described the scenes at hand on questions they might face early voting sites throughout and posting signs throughout early Louisiana on Monday as voters voting sites describing the new dealt with a new primary election semi-closed primary rules and the system, a landmark U.S. Supreme impact of Landry’s order. Court ruling on Wednesday, Gov. Andre Pagliarini, a history pro-
WEATHER HIGH 83 LOW 73 PAGE 6B
ELECTION 2026
him that the race had been canceled. Denise Lyons was advised by election officials at City Hall in ä Bitter redistricting fight New Orleans that her vote in the 2nd Congressional District House looms in Legislature. PAGE 5A race would not count. She was not happy. “That they are canceling our fessor at LSU, wasn’t sure when he arrived at the State Archives obligation to vote is pretty effing building in Baton Rouge whether wild,” she said just after voting. he could vote in the 5th Congres- “The denial of voting in Louisiana sional District race until he saw a is starting here.” Clarissa Hoff in New Orleans sign inside the voting booth telling
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voted in the House race anyway. “I want it documented that my vote was stolen,” Hoff said. “I’m pretty pissed.” Allison Dumas in Baton Rouge also voted anyway, “in case they do count those votes,” she said. “I want my vote to be heard.” Turnout on Saturday and Monday — the first two days of early voting in Louisiana — was about normal for the first two days of
ä See VOTERS, page 5A
13TH yEAR, NO. 266