Judge Extends Deadline for Mayor Cantrell’s Response in Civil Rights Lawsuit

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, shown at the Essence Festival in July, says critics don't understand the world Black women live in. Paras Griffin/Getty Images/FILE

U.S. District Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown has granted an extension to New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell in a civil rights lawsuit filed by Anne Breaud.

The suit alleges that Cantrell and her campaign members unlawfully disclosed Breaud’s personal information and photo.

The extension now gives Mayor Cantrell and the other named defendants until Sept. 10 to respond.

The lawsuit names Cantrell, her Chief of Staff Clifton Davis, the City of New Orleans, and New Orleans Police Department officers Leslie Guzman, Victor Gant, and Ryan St. Martin.

Filed in July, the complaint centers on claims that Cantrell’s campaign improperly publicized private details about Breaud, raising significant privacy and civil rights concerns.

As Mayor Cantrell faces increased scrutiny, her office has taken steps to tightly control media interactions, particularly following her identification as “Public Official 1” in the federal indictment of her former bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie.

While Cantrell was not charged, her inclusion in the indictment has fueled speculation about potential future legal action.

Rafael Goyeneche, President of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, suggested that Cantrell’s identification in the Vappie case signals that prosecutors may be planning further indictments.

“I don’t believe for a second that it was an accident or a coincidence that they identified the mayor in that indictment,” Goyeneche stated. “These are veteran prosecutors who are well aware of the relevant statutes and timelines.”

Despite the legal pressures, Cantrell’s office has remained largely silent on the current lawsuit. The City of New Orleans issued a brief statement noting that it will reserve comments until it formally responds to the allegations in court.