Former Orleans District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro appointed to the state Judiciary Commission

Following his retirement from Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office, Leon Cannizzaro, 73, has been appointed to the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana — joining an independent 14-member body that conducts inquiries and investigations into justices and judges of all courts across the state on behalf of the Louisiana Supreme Court.

According to the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana, Cannizzaro was appointed by Speaker of the House Phillip DeVillier for a four-year term beginning June 23, 2026.

The appointment of Cannizzaro was first noted by the Louisiana Legislature and on the website of the Judiciary Commission, where Cannizzaro’s name appeared in the 14-member list.

Cannizzaro retired from his position leading the criminal division of the state Attorney General’s office last month. In an interview with WVUE-TV, Cannizzaro said he came to the decision to retire after spending Memorial Day weekend with his family. He also said that he did not have any other roles lined up — though he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of returning to work in another role.

“I’m not saying this is it for sure,” he said in the interview. “But I’m not actively looking for anything right now.”

The New Orleans criminal justice system has come under fire by state officials, including Cannizzaro’s former boss, Attorney General Liz Murrill. And in the most recent legislative session, the Republican-controlled state legislature passed a slate of bills to pare down the city’s criminal legal system — including a bill that cuts a number of judges across the city’s courts.

Cannizzaro joined the Attorney General’s office in 2021 after he decided not to run for re-election as the District Attorney of Orleans Parish. Before his time as District Attorney, Cannizzaro served as an appeals court judge, a criminal court judge and a prosecutor under former District Attorney Harry Connick.

Some advocates for criminal justice reform expressed skepticism about the appointment of Cannizzaro to a body that performs judicial oversight.

During his 12-year tenure as the District Attorney, Cannizzaro took an aggressive, tough-on-crime stance, fighting to retain nonunanimous jury convictions, advocating for the arrest and detention of children and using habitual offender laws to increase sentencing.

Most notably, Cannizzaro came under fire for his use of fake subpoenas and threats of jail time to pressure witnesses to talk to prosecutors — inspiring a 2017 lawsuit by civil liberties advocates. His office ultimately settled, paying tens of thousands of dollars to plaintiffs.

“Leon Canniazaro, long considered a biased individual, now becomes the hatchet-man for Liz Murrill and Jeff Landry’s crusade to remove certain judges from the bench,” said Bruce Reilly, the deputy director of Voters Organized to Educate, a 501c4 nonprofit organization educating voters on criminal justice reform. “Someone can review the rulings of the Commission and see the unequal discipline that is already doled out. Of course judges should be held to the highest ethical standards, but so too should our attorney general, legislators, and governor. Who will oversee Cannizzaro’s behavior in this role?”

“Leon Cannizzaro’s record as Orleans Parish District Attorney was marked by deeply controversial prosecutorial practices and longstanding concerns about accountability,” said Ashely Crawford, the associate director of Vera Louisiana — who also shared a report that the organization’s research team wrote on prosecution and incarceration trends during his tenure.

“The Judiciary Commission has the extraordinary responsibility of investigating judges and recommending discipline or removal,” Crawford said. “The public must have confidence that those decisions are made independently and free from political influence. Given Mr. Cannizzaro’s recent leadership role in the Attorney General’s Office, coupled with growing concerns about the independence of Louisiana’s public institutions, this appointment makes that confidence harder to maintain.”

Murrill, however, applauded the appointment of Cannizzaro to the commission.

“For too long, there have been little to no consequences for judicial misconduct that would have resulted in a suspension of any lawyer’s license to practice law,” Murrill said in a statement. “Cannizzaro has a deep understanding of and respect for the legal process and the system. He is an excellent appointment to the Commission and will join several other Commission appointees who are likewise committed to ensuring judicial accountability and transparency.”

Cannizzaro and DeVilliar did not respond to a request for comment.

This story has been updated to include a statement from Attorney General Liz Murrill.