What You Need to Know About Orleans Parish District Attorney Candidates


The election for Orleans Parish district attorney on Dec. 5 is a historic opportunity to shape the city’s priorities on racial disparities in sentencing, prosecutorial practices, bail reform and help end mass incarceration. The next DA can create a fairer, more equitable criminal legal system and champion reform.
Make informed decisions. Make sure you know where the candidates are on key civil liberties and civil rights issues.

Orleans Parish District Attorney Candidate Dashboard
Issues | Keva Landrum | Jason Williams |
---|---|---|
Decarceration | ||
Pledges not to prosecute marijuana possession | Did not pledge | Yes |
Pledges not to seek “habitual offender” enhancements | No | Yes |
Prosecutorial Practices | ||
Pledges not to lock crime survivors in jail to secure their testimony | No | Yes |
Pledges to recommend release of people held on technical violations of probation and parole | Did not pledge | Yes |
Pretrial | ||
Pledges to make charging decisions within five days of a person’s jail admission, or agree to release without bond, except for charges carrying life in prison | Did not pledge | Yes |
Juvenile Justice | ||
Pledges not to transfer kids out of juvenile court to be prosecuted as adults | No | Yes |
Transparency & Public Integrity | ||
Pledges to re-establish a Conviction Integrity Unit | Yes | Yes |
Commits to independent investigations of killings and use of excessive force by police | Yes | Yes |
Learn more about what New Orleanians want from their next district attorney with the ACLU of Louisiana’s candidate briefing: The Power of a Prosecutor.
Hear the ACLU of Louisiana DA radio ad here.
Paid for by American Civil Liberties Union, Inc., Anthony Romero, Executive Director, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004, not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. The ACLU does not support or oppose candidates for elected office.