New Orleans police drop criminal investigation into WWL-TV initiated by judge’s complaint

New Orleans police closed a criminal investigation into WWL-TV journalists on Oct. 1, finding no legal basis for Criminal District Court Judge Kimya Holmes's complaint that the station violated a state law protecting officials' personal information. The NOPD determined that Louisiana Revised Statute 44:11.2, which Holmes cited, carries no criminal penalties after the state Legislature repealed its criminal provisions. WWL had reported that Holmes received a $765,000 home transfer from her former fiancé while he faced federal fraud charges.

Holmes, running for reelection, said the reporting prompted threatening calls to her office and blamed the station for doxing concerns affecting judges nationwide. First Amendment attorneys warned the complaint represented potential retaliation by a powerful official against news coverage reflecting poorly on her. The case underscores tensions between judicial privacy concerns and press freedom to report on matters of public interest involving elected officials.