Local judges recused from Cedar Creek suit

All three 3rd Judicial District Court judges have recused themselves from the ongoing bullying and sexual battery lawsuit against Cedar Creek School, with each one citing conflicts of interest.

With no local judges available to preside over the case, the matter has been referred to the Louisiana Supreme Court for assignment to another judge, according to a court document filed late last week.

The Supreme Court’s office did not respond to requests for comment on the assignment process by press time Monday.

Division C’s Bruce Hampton recused himself because his wife, Cindy Hampton, is a long-time Cedar Creek employee and now serves as interim head of school after Andrew Yepson, a defendant in the suit, retired Friday.

Division A Judge Monique Clement’s recusal cites her daughter’s personal relationship with minors involved in the case, while Division B’s Thomas Rogers cites his “close personal and business relationship with one of the families involved as defendants.”

In the suit filed Sept. 15, Louisiana Tech assistant men’s basketball coach Michael “Duffy” Conroy and his wife allege that eight Cedar Creek high school students sexually battered and bullied their son, another student, for roughly eight months of the 2020-21 school year.

Those eight students and their parents are named as defendants in the suit, as are Yepson, a handful of Cedar Creek employees, and the school’s insurance providers.

Separately from the civil suit, eight minors involved in the case have been charged and summoned to appear in local juvenile court, the proceedings of which are confidential by law.