Louisiana Judge Michelle Odinet resigns after making racial slurs on video
A previous headline misidentified Michelle Odinet's position. It has been corrected.
Lafayette Judge Michelle Odinet has submitted her resignation to the Louisiana Supreme Court after she was heard using racial slurs on a video, Odinet's attorney confirmed.
In her letter to the Louisiana Supreme Court, which was provided by her attorney, Odinet said she takes "full responsibility for the hurtful words" used in the video.
"After much reflection and prayer, and in order to facilitate healing within the community, I hereby resign as judge of the Lafayette City Court effective immediately," the letter said. "I am sending a copy of this letter to the Secretary of State and hope that a special election can be scheduled to fill the vacancy that my resignation creates."
On Dec. 16, Odinet took unpaid leave, and the Louisiana Supreme Court suspended Odinet the same day. The court appointed an ad hoc judge, Retired Opelousas City Court Judge Vanessa Harris, a Black woman, to preside over Odinet's cases while she was suspended.
Odinet faced several calls to resign after multiple people were recorded using a racist slur in a video, which the judge confirmed was taken at her home following a failed burglary attempt earlier this month.
In a statement, Odinet's attorney, Dane Ciolino said: "Ms. Odinet understands that this is the end of her public service, but only the beginning of what she must to do to earn the forgiveness of the community.
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The video does not show any of the speakers heard during the clip, but multiple voices repeatedly say “n-----” while watching footage of the attempted burglary. Odinet's attorney confirmed that Odinet used the language heard in the video.
"Mom's yelling, n-----, n-----," a male voice says, recounting the incident while watching the security footage.
"We have a n-----. It's a n-----, like a roach," a female voice adds.
In a statement to The Daily Advertiser after the video surfaced, Odinet said her family was the victim of armed burglary, but a spokesperson for the Lafayette Police Department said there was no indication that the suspect had a weapon.
Odinet, who was elected to the bench just over a year ago, said she was sedated when the clip was filmed and does not remember the racist language captured in the video.
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Several state and local officials, including Gov. John Bel Edwards and City Councilman Glenn Lazard called on Odinet to resign, as did organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana and the Anti Defamation League.
"I take full responsibility for the hurtful words used to describe the individual who burglarized the vehicles at my home. I am sorry for the pain that I have caused my community and ask for your forgiveness, as my words did not foster the public's confidence and integrity for the judiciary.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Lafayette Judge Michelle Odinet resigns after making racial slurs
