Opinion ID: 1625408
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Discharge of the Grand Jury

Text: The bill of information read together with the bill of particulars alleges that the defendants conspired and prevented the grand jury from reporting on indictments which were pending before the panel. The bill of particulars states that the district attorney filed a motion containing false representations so as to discharge the grand jury, and the judge, knowing that the allegations in the motion were false, granted the motion. The district attorney and the trial judge swore in their oath of office to support the constitution and laws of this state and to faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent [upon them as public officials]. La. Const. art. 10, § 30. Both public officials have a mandatory duty to conform to the standard of conduct required by that oath. State v. Melerine, 236 La. 881, 109 So.2d 454 (1954). When the defendants swore to uphold the laws of Louisiana, this oath imposed a specific duty upon them not to obstruct or interfere with the execution of those laws. To intentionally interfere with the execution of any law would be a failure to perform a duty lawfully required of them under their oath and would constitute malfeasance. In the case before us, the grand jury was under a specific statutory duty to return its report on all offenses and matters presented or pending before it. La.C. Cr.P. art. 415.2 [3] The district attorney and the trial judge had an express affirmative duty under their oath of office not to interfere or obstruct the grand jury from performing the positive duties imposed upon it by law. Allegations (1) and (2) of count 1 and count 2 of the bill of information charge the defendants with preparing, presenting, filing and signing a motion which contained false representations so that the grand jury would be dismissed before the panel could report on indictments which were still pending before it. These actions prevented the grand jury from performing a positive duty required of it by law. As the defendants had a duty not to interfere with or obstruct the grand jury in performing its duties and the bill of information charges them with a violation of that duty, the bill of information charges the defendants with an offense punishable under a valid statute.