On January 14, 2013 Assistant District Attorney Carla Sigler argued a case before the Supreme Court for the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office and the state of Louisiana.
On April 29, 2013, the Supreme Court issued its ruling in Louisiana v. Boyer in favor of the state.
Jonathan Boyer faced a first degree murder charge in 2002, but that was amended in 2007 to second degree murder and armed robbery, taking the death penalty off the table.
Assistant District Attorney Cynthia Killingsworth convicted Boyer on the amended charges. The defendant blamed the state for the delay in his case, stating funding for attorney fees and investigations was not provided. During the argument, Justice Samuel Alito pointed out that the initial defense attorney for Boyer filed numerous continuances, causing delays.
The Supreme Court ruled that Boyer's writ was "improvidently" granted and was dismissed.
Sigler is the first Assistant District Attorney in Calcasieu Parish to win a Supreme Court case. Sigler received help from the faculty and students of the George Mason University School of Law Supreme Court Clinic and from Tom McCarthy and associates at Wiley Rein LLP.
"Without their assistance, the State would not have been able to prevail in this difficult case," said Sigler. "They thoroughly researched the issues involved, prepared and filed a comprehensive and exemplary brief, and helped prepare the State's prosecutor (Sigler) for the daunting challenge of oral argument. The Calcasieu Parish District Attorney's Office is very thankful for these valiant efforts."