On Friday, March 27, 2026, Unfiltered with Kiran reported that an appeal has been filed with the Louisiana Supreme Court seeking to reinstate a judge in a high-profile rape and video voyeurism case stemming from the death of Madison Brooks.

Defense attorney Joe Long filed an application for supervisory review, asking the court to return 19th Judicial District Court Judge Gail Horne Ray to preside over the bench trial of defendant Casen Carver. Long argued that the First Circuit Court of Appeal relied on an irrelevant precedent when it upheld the judge’s earlier recusal.

The legal dispute centers on whether Judge Ray should oversee proceedings in the case involving Carver, one of three men indicted in connection with the alleged rape of Brooks. Authorities said Brooks died after being struck by a vehicle in January 2023, shortly after a group of men dropped her off in a subdivision following a night of heavy drinking.

Carver faces charges including first-degree rape, third-degree rape, and video voyeurism. Prosecutors allege that Brooks was too impaired to legally consent, citing a blood-alcohol level reported in a related civil lawsuit as more than three times the legal limit for driving. Defense attorneys have maintained that the sexual encounter was consensual.

Judge Brad Myers granted a motion from the district attorney’s office to recuse Judge Ray, stating that while no specific misconduct was found, the decision was necessary to preserve public confidence in the judiciary’s integrity and impartiality.

Arguments surrounding the recusal have largely been sealed, but court discussions referenced text messages between Carver and his father suggesting they believed Judge Ray might be sympathetic to the defense. The issue also drew attention due to Ray’s personal history involving her son, who previously served more than two decades in prison for rape convictions.

Long had earlier appealed the recusal ruling to the First Circuit, indicating the matter could ultimately reach the state’s highest court. Following the appellate court’s decision to uphold the recusal, Long proceeded with the Supreme Court filing and said he would seek expedited consideration.

Meanwhile, Brooks’ mother, Ashley Baustert, expressed support for the decision to keep the recusal in place, emphasizing the family’s pursuit of accountability through the court process.

 

 

Source: Unfiltered with Kiran