Reporters Committee condemns Louisiana courtroom closure, handcuffing of journalist during grand jury indictment

The Reporters Committee is condemning both a Louisiana judge’s decision to eject the press and public from his courtroom and the handcuffing of a reporter and his attorney who tried to object to the unconstitutional closure. 

The incident occurred on July 2, 2026, in Judge Leon Roche’s Orleans parish courtroom, where a grand jury was set to return an indictment of the state’s attorney general.

In an August 5 letter to Chief Judge Juana Marine-Lombard of the Orleans Criminal District Court, Reporters Committee Louisiana-based attorney Virginia Hamrick expressed concern about these actions, which Hamrick argued “constituted an egregious affront to the First Amendment right of the press and public to access court proceedings.”  

According to NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, Judge Roche closed his courtroom during the indictment of Louisiana Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill without providing justification. Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Deputies handcuffed WWL-TV reporter Danny Monteverde and his attorney, Elana Beiser, when they objected to the closure.

“These outrageous actions send a chilling message to members of the press and the public who may seek to object to closure in the future,” the letter argues. “Open access to courts — including pretrial proceedings — informs the public, ensures an accurate portrayal of proceedings, and promotes government accountability, and it must be preserved.”

In Louisiana, the law says all indictments must be returned in “open court,” and there is a strong presumption in favor of access to judicial proceedings, the letter states. Courts have ruled that when closure of criminal proceedings is considered, the public must be given an opportunity to object. 

The letter urges the Orleans Criminal District Court to ensure that moving forward, the press and public have access to courtrooms and that objections to closure are properly considered. It urges all officers of the court to refrain from detaining reporters or their counsel simply for exercising their constitutional rights. Finally, it notes that the Reporters Committee would be willing to provide training on the importance and legality of access to judicial proceedings. 

Read the full letter below.