Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards called for Judge Michelle Odinet to resign at his end of year press conference on Dec. 16.
Odinet, a Lafayette city judge, sparked nationwide outrage after a video was released of her and her family watching security footage of a recent burglary that took place in their driveway. In the video, she can be heard saying “we have a n*****; it’s a n*****, like a roach.”
Despite Odinet’s request for “understanding, forgiveness, patience and prayers” following the incident, calls for her resignation continued to come in.
Edwards joined the growing list of those calling for her resignation that included U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, Lafayette NAACP President Michael Toussaint and the state Democratic Party.
“Quite frankly, there is no place for that kind of language, especially among members of the judiciary who have the most important role in the administration of the justice in our state,” Edwards said. “I believe she should resign.”
Edwards also said that “there is no efficient administration of justice if she stays on the bench,” as “perhaps all of the litigants who are African-Americans will seek for recusal, and I don’t think she has a valid basis to deny that recusal.”
Odinet’s lawyer, Dane Ciolino, announced she would be taking an unpaid absence from the bench.
“It will be my hope that this period of reflection she is going through will lead her to the same conclusion,” Edwards said.
In a statement to KFLY, Ciolino said “Judge Odinet is humiliated, embarrassed, and sorry for what she has done and the trouble that she has caused to her community. She certainly understands the Governor’s view of her inappropriate statements and the similar views of many, many others. As a result, before the close of business today, she will file a petition with the Louisiana Supreme Court requesting an indefinite leave from the bench without pay. In the weeks to come, she will consider what’s best for her and her community in the long term.”
On Dec. 17, the Louisiana Supreme Court released an order that temporarily disqualified Odinet and appointed retired Opelousas City Court Judge Vanessa Harris through Feb. 28.
The order said that over 100 complaints were filed against Odinet.
Odinet has several children at LSU. One of them, Elijah Odinet, a freshman, was cut from the Track and Field team.
Michelle Odinet calls Elijah by name in the recording, to which a male voice replies. Racial slurs are then heard from the male voice as well. 
While LSU has not confirmed whether the dismissal was in relation to the video, the team released a statement on facebook that discussed the intolerance of racial discrimination within the program.
“LSU Track and Field is a diverse group of student-athletes, coaches, and support staff, and we respect these differences, because they make us stronger,” the statement read. “We will never tolerate racism, and we will continue to do our part in the ongoing work toward its eradication-through educating ourselves, engaging with our community, and honoring the distinctions that empower us.”
Judge Odinet made an appearance at the Nov. 15 LSU Faculty Senate hearing, where she spread COVID-19 misinformation, falsely claiming that PCR tests were recalled by the FDA.
Odinet spoke against a faculty senate resolution that called for LSU to require unvaccinated students to test weekly and to require a written statement from those opting out of the vaccination.
“I ask you to reconsider this resolution,” she said, “and require testing both the vaccinated and unvaccinated so there’s no more discrimination.”