On Tuesday, June 9, 2026, Nola.com reported that a second New Orleans criminal court judge has recused herself from presiding over the public misconduct case against former Orleans Parish sheriff Susan Hutson.
District Judge Robin Pittman announced her decision to step aside during a brief court appearance by Hutson and her former chief financial officer, Bianka Brown, at the criminal courthouse. This follows an earlier recusal by Judge Leon Roche.
Hutson, 59, faces 30 felony charges stemming from an indictment issued last month by Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office. The majority of these charges allege malfeasance in office, including accusations that Hutson neglected her duties prior to an escape of 10 inmates from the parish jail last year.
Bianka Brown, Hutson’s former chief financial officer, is facing 20 similar charges. Both Hutson and Brown have yet to enter pleas to the charges, which also include obstruction of justice, filing or maintaining false public records, and various conspiracy counts.
Judge Pittman stated that, based on previously received information and materials, recusal was in the court’s best interest, without providing specific details.
The Attorney General’s office has contended that a closed-door meeting of criminal court judges on July 17, 2025, where Hutson was held in contempt for refusing to transfer inmates on weekends and holidays, makes all of them potential witnesses and necessitates their recusal. Prosecutors assert that over half of the charges against Hutson are connected to this dispute over inmate transfers.
If all 12 criminal court judges recuse themselves, the Louisiana Supreme Court would be tasked with appointing an outside judge to hear the case. Judicial Administrator Rob Kazik explained that each judge must individually weigh recusal and provide a written reason.
Court officials are reportedly developing a plan to expedite the process of finding a judge. Gregory Carter, Hutson’s attorney, expressed his client’s readiness to proceed, stating, “Her innocence is rooted in the truth, and we need that truth to come out. The only way to do that is to get in front of a judge who can handle the case.”
The prosecution of Hutson and Brown has become a significant challenge for the criminal court judges. Last month, 11 of the 12 sitting judges recused themselves during the grand jury proceedings. Franz Zibilich, a substitute judge, oversaw the special grand jury that ultimately indicted Hutson and Brown. Judge Roche had recused himself the day before Hutson and Brown’s scheduled arraignment on May 15, citing the previous summer’s dispute over inmate transfers.
Judge Pittman ordered the case to be randomly reassigned to another section of the courthouse, and no new court dates have been set. Notably, Judge John Fuller is the only current judge who was not on the bench when Hutson was held in contempt by the court.
Hutson, who lost her bid for re-election last fall, was criminally charged just five days before she relinquished her office to her successor, Michelle Woodfork.
Source: Nola.com
