| Advisory Opinion regarding whether the Code of Governmental Ethics prohibits a former Assistant District Attorney for the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's Office from continuing the investigation and prosecution of criminal matters in which she participated as an Assistant District Attorney as an attorney of Taylor Porter within two years of her resignation from the District Attorney's Office. |
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Morgan Johnson was employed as an Assistant District Attorney and Section 2 Section Chief for the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's Office (DA). While an Assistant District Attorney, Ms. Johnson was lead counsel for the cases being handled by the DA's Office involving the hazing death of Caleb Wilson. Ms. Johnson was involved in the investigation of the death of Mr. Wilson and presented the matter to the Grand Jury resulting in the indictments of five individuals.
District Attorney Hillar Moore is in discussions with the Louisiana Attorney General's Office to transfer these cases to the Attorney General's Office for prosecution due to a lack of resources of the DA's Office.
On June 15, 2026, Ms. Johnson was employed by Taylor Porter as an attorney with the title "Special Counsel."
Taylor Porter is seeking an opinion as to whether Ms. Johnson may participate in the continued investigation and prosecution of the five individuals if the cases are transferred to the Attorney General's Office and the Attorney General's Office contracts with Taylor Porter to investigate and prosecute these matters.
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La. R.S. 42:1121B(1) provides no former public employee shall, for a period of two years following the termination of his public employment, assist another person, for compensation, in a transaction, or in an appearance in connection with a transaction in which such former public employee participated at any time during his public employment and involving the governmental entity by which he was formerly employed, or for a period of two years following termination of his public employment, render, any service which such former public employee had rendered to the agency during the term of his public employment on a contractual basis, regardless of the parties to the contract, to, for, or on behalf of the agency with which he was formerly employed.
AO Docket No. 2021-353
AO Docket No. 2013-367
AO Docket No. 1983-040
AO Docket No. 1981-158
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Adopt proposed advisory opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Tracy Barker |
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