The Louisiana Supreme Court on Friday temporarily halted the criminal case against Attorney General Liz Murrill, a Republican, who was indicted on charges of threatening the jobs of New Orleans officials. The court's decision follows accusations of procedural flaws and potential conflicts of interest in the case, as well as reports that a journalist was handcuffed and locked out while attempting to report on the grand jury action. The 16-count indictment, which included charges of intimidation and malfeasance, has been criticized for turning the law "on its head." The court's filing suggests that the case may be dismissed due to deep-seated procedural defects and improprieties. The case stems from a political dispute over the abolition of the New Orleans criminal court clerk position, which followed the election of Calvin Duncan, a man exonerated after spending decades in prison, to the role. The court noted that Laurie White, the special prosecutor and former state judge, had previously represented Duncan, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, also a Republican, has expressed support for Murrill and announced plans to investigate "alleged improprieties" in the grand jury proceedings.