Calvin Duncan’s story is one that, even in a city as storied as New Orleans, stands out for its twists, heartbreak, and ultimately, its sense of hope. Just last week, Duncan, 62, clinched a resounding victory in the runoff election for Clerk of Criminal Court, securing 68% of the vote and ousting incumbent Darren Lombard. But this wasn’t just a routine changing of the guard. Duncan’s journey to this office began more than four decades ago—in the darkest of places, and under the weight of a wrongful conviction that would keep him behind bars for nearly 30 years.
According to NPR, Duncan was only in his early twenties in 1982 when detectives arrived at his job training campus in Oregon and arrested him for a murder in New Orleans—a crime he’d never heard of, let alone committed. “I was like, two weeks from signing up for the military, but then two detectives came to the campus and arrested me,” Duncan recalled. The charge stemmed from a 1981 shooting, and before long, he found himself in the notorious Angola Penitentiary, beginning what would be a decades-long fight for his freedom.
Duncan’s ordeal was marked by investigative missteps and outright misconduct. As the Louisiana Illuminator reported, the detective who led the investigation would later be convicted of illegal wiretapping in a separate case. Duncan was falsely told he’d been identified by his gold front teeth—a detail that simply wasn’t true. Over time, mounting inconsistencies and withheld evidence became clear, but the wheels of justice turned slowly. In 2011, then-Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro vacated Duncan’s murder conviction, allowing him to plead guilty to lesser charges. He was resentenced to 49 years but released for time served.
But Duncan’s fight wasn’t over. In 2021, thanks to a new Louisiana law allowing defendants to challenge convictions if evidence of innocence had been withheld, a judge vacated his conviction entirely. Current District Attorney Jason Williams dropped the charges, finally clearing Duncan’s name. More than 160 legal professionals later signed a public letter attesting to his exoneration, stating, “The facts, the law, and the procedural history are clear: Calvin Duncan was wrongfully convicted, he has proved his innocence, and he is now fully exonerated.”
During his long incarceration, Duncan transformed himself. With only an eighth-grade education when he entered Angola, he taught himself the law, becoming what’s known as a jailhouse lawyer. He gave legal counsel to thousands of fellow inmates, according to NPR, and later earned a law degree after his release. “You got to become a lawyer,” Duncan said, recalling advice from fellow inmates. He recently chronicled these experiences in a book, further cementing his role as an advocate for justice.
It was in prison that Duncan first learned about the critical role played by the clerk of court—the person responsible for safeguarding the records and evidence that can make or break cases like his. “To be the custodian of the records and evidence and to make sure that they properly preserve for current and future. But also it’s not just the records. It’s the human part. The human toll,” Duncan told NPR. His own struggle to obtain documents—lawyers’ motions, police reports, trial records—spanned decades and required civil lawsuits. “Documents are key in so many people’s cases,” criminal defense attorney Rachel Conner explained, noting that New Orleans is the only parish in Louisiana that hasn’t digitized its records. “Everything is manual. So between these certain hours on these certain days, you can go to the clerk’s office. You have to have all of your four copies on legal paper with the right number of paper clips. And things get lost all the time.”
After his release, Duncan began what he called “guerrilla clerking,” bringing his own scanner to the district attorney’s office to help other inmates meet critical legal deadlines. He didn’t stop there. In 2020, Duncan played a pivotal role in persuading the U.S. Supreme Court to abolish non-unanimous jury convictions in Louisiana and Oregon—a practice rooted in the Jim Crow era and long criticized for its discriminatory impact. Duncan used court records to identify people convicted by split juries and petitioned the Supreme Court to review their cases. He was in the front row for oral arguments in Washington, D.C. “It was a great feeling, not only just to be in their presence, but to know that a person with a real-life experience could change things,” he said.
When Duncan announced his candidacy for Clerk of Criminal Court, his personal history turned what is normally a low-profile race into a closely watched contest. His campaign was not without controversy. Incumbent Darren Lombard, backed by the city’s mayor-elect and other political power players, questioned Duncan’s innocence during debates and in the media. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill also publicly denied Duncan’s exoneration, despite the legal community’s support. At one point, threats were made to file charges against Duncan for using the word “exonerated” in his campaign.
But these attacks appeared to backfire. Duncan led the voting in the October primary with 47%, forcing a runoff with Lombard, who had 46%. In the November 15 runoff, Duncan’s support surged. District Attorney Jason Williams, who had previously criticized Lombard’s management of criminal records, offered support. Lombard, for his part, issued a gracious concession, stating, “I want to congratulate Calvin Duncan on his victory. I stand ready to support a smooth and professional transition so that the important work of this office continues without interruption.”
Duncan’s victory statement was emotional and resolute. “Tonight is a dream that’s been forty years in the making,” he said. “I hope that all those people who died in prison because we couldn’t get their records are looking down now. I hope they’re proud of me. We never stopped fighting for each other’s rights, and I will never stop fighting for yours.”
Looking ahead, Duncan has pledged to modernize the handling of court records in New Orleans—a system that, as of now, still relies on paper files. A digital filing system is reportedly in development, but recent mishaps, like an August incident where records were mistakenly discarded and had to be retrieved from a landfill, highlight the urgency of reform.
Duncan’s election, buoyed by criminal justice reform advocates and his own lived experience, is seen as a symbol of resilience and the possibility of change. As he prepares to take office in January 2026, he remains committed to ensuring fair access to records, respect for all involved in the judicial process, and a renewed sense of hope for those still fighting for justice. For many in New Orleans and beyond, Calvin Duncan’s journey from wrongful imprisonment to public office is a testament to the power of perseverance—and the promise that even the most entrenched systems can be changed from within.
