The New Orleans Police Department has officially closed a criminal investigation into WWL-TV. Detectives determined that a complaint filed by a local judge depended on a state law carrying no criminal penalties. Investigators finalized this decision on Oct. 1, ending a brief probe that raised serious concerns among First Amendment advocates.
The controversy began when Criminal District Court Judge Kimya Holmes filed a police report on Sept. 11. Her complaint followed an investigative report broadcast on Aug. 24 by WWL chief investigative reporter David Hammer. The broadcast scrutinized the transfer of a $765,000 English Turn home to Judge Holmes by her former fiancé, Arthur Allen, in 2025.
Background of the Investigation and Federal Sentencing
Federal court records and reporting from outlets including The Guardian and AOL show that Allen faced charges for fraudulently obtaining more than $712,000 in taxpayer-funded COVID-19 relief funds. Judge Holmes told reporter David Hammer that she did not know Allen when the crimes occurred. She stated she only learned of the federal case around the time Allen pleaded guilty in April.
The timing of the property transfer drew sharp criticism during Allen’s federal sentencing on Sept. 25. U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey upbraided Allen. Judge Zainey stated that Hammer’s report regarding the $765,000 home left him feeling duped, because Allen clearly knew he owed restitution. Judge Zainey ultimately sentenced Allen to two years in federal prison.
Legal Basis of the Police Complaint
During the initial broadcast, WWL’s report featured a small image of a document containing the home’s address. It also displayed the license plate of a Corvette parked in the courthouse garage, which station representatives stated was obtained via a confidential source.
On Sept. 10, Criminal District Court Judicial Administrator Rob Kazik sent a letter to WWL on behalf of Judge Holmes. The letter demanded that the station remove the material, blur the identifying details, and reveal its confidential sources. The correspondence cited Louisiana Revised Statute 44:11.2, a statute that restricts the public release of specific personal information concerning public officials.
WWL removed and republished the images with blurred details within 24 hours. However, the station declined to disclose its sources. Judge Holmes subsequently filed a report with the NOPD’s First District the following day. She stated that she had received threatening phone calls containing racial slurs and felt unsafe.
Resolution by NOPD Detectives
Assigned NOPD Detective Marcus Dubuclet reviewed the matter. He discovered that the Louisiana Legislature had previously repealed the criminal provisions of Louisiana Revised Statute 44:11.2 before both the station’s August broadcast and the September complaint.
“There is no violation there or criminal offense,” Detective Marcus Dubuclet wrote in the Oct. 1 police report.
When Detective Dubuclet informed Judge Holmes of the legislative change, she acknowledged she was previously unaware of the repeal. According to the police report, Holmes stated that if the information was correct, she recognized she lacked grounds for a criminal complaint. Judge Holmes has not disputed the factual accuracy of WWL’s reporting.
