23rd Judicial District Judge Jessie LeBlanc admitted to calling the two officials ni**ers on at least three occasions, particularly the ones captured in a snapshotted text conversation that was later leaked the the media.
“I admit that I used that word,” 23rd Judicial District Judge Jessie LeBlanc said during an exclusive interview with WAFB Investigative Reporter Scottie Hunter. “I profusely apologize for that. I should have never said it. It was uncalled for. I was angry. I was upset. But, it’s no excuse.”
The conversation was between the LeBlanc and APSO Chief Deputy Bruce Prejean, who had been in an intimate affair with the judge. Both parties were married to other people at the time.
“It is something I’m not proud of,” LeBlanc said. “I’ve had to apologize to my husband. I will continue to have to apologize to my husband, my children, and my God for the rest of my life.”
It is unknown if any disciplinary actions will come from the matter, nor is it known if any actions can be taken against Prejean.
The comments were made after someone left a package on her doorstep with Prejean’s phone records inside. The box was labeled with the word, “N***er.”
The records had certain numbers highlighted, with one being an African American law clerk. LeBlanc was led to believe Prejean was carrying on a relationship with the clerk.
“From there, I did lash out at him (Prejean),” she told WAFB on Sunday. “And, in lashing out at him, in those text messages, I lashed out at two of his African American friends. One of them being that law clerk. I did call them by that name. They do not deserve that. They deserve an apology from me. And, I sincerely apologize to both of them for using that word. While I may have been upset, angry, scared, it does not excuse my actions.”
Despite calls from the NAACP to stop down, Judge LeBlanc’s term on the bench ends in December and she says she will run for another term.
“I know that I treat everyone with respect,” she said. “ It doesn’t matter who you are… And, that’s how I was raised. I was not raised to treat someone based upon the color of their skin. So, to those people, I tell them, yes, I made a horrible decision in using those slurs toward those people. I ask for forgiveness from them. I’ve asked for forgiveness from my God. And, I know that I am not a person that bases you off the color of your skin.”
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