STATE OF LOUISIANA v. DURRELLE BOWENS (2026)

WRIT GRANTED

Relator, Durelle Bowens (“Mr. Bowens”), represents that the district court has failed to timely rule on the “Motion for in Camera Inspection” that he filed on or about December 22, 2025, and the “Motion to Unseal Jury Polling” that he filed on or about May 31, 2026.¹ If Mr. Bowens’ representation is correct, the district court is ordered to consider and act upon his pleadings. If Mr. Bowens’ representation is incorrect, the district court is ordered to accept, file, and act upon the pleadings which are herewith transferred to the district court. The district court is further ordered to provide this Court with a copy of its judgment(s) within sixty (60) days of this Order.

New Orleans, Louisiana, this 6th day of October, 2026.

JUDGE DALE N. ATKINS

CHIEF JUDGE ROLAND L. BELSOME

JUDGE JOY COSSICH LOBRANO

FOOTNOTES

1.   Mr. Bowens also sought mandamus relief in late August 2026, but this Court denied his writ application because he “failed to show that his Motion for in Camera Inspection or his Motion to Unseal Jury Polling were filed in the district court.” State v. Bowens, unpub., 2026-0615 (La. App. 4 Cir. 9/9/26). This Court also noted that Mr. Bowens had not attached copies of those pleadings to his writ application. Accordingly, this Court instructed Mr. Bowens that he could “refile his writ application and include the unfiled pleadings as well as any evidence of filing in the district court.” Mr. Bowens has done so in his instant writ application.