Jury selection begins in trial against former DeRidder mayor

Published 5:16 pm Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Jury selection began Tuesday in the 36th Judicial District Court in Beauregard Parish in the trial of former DeRidder Mayor Misty Clanton.

The Honorable C. Kent Savoie, Ad Hoc, will preside over the trial.

In June, the Louisiana Supreme Court granted a request from Clanton’s attorney, Adam Johnson, to recuse both Beauregard Parish judges Martha O’Neal and C. Kerry Anderson. The request had previously been denied by the Third Circuit Court of Appeal and the Beauregard District Court.

Clanton resigned from office in July 2024 and was arrested two days later on allegations of having sexual relations with an underage teen. In October that year, she was indicted on charges of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile and misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The charges were amended in April 2025 to reflect a felony count of indecent behavior with a juvenile.

Clanton pleaded not guilty to all counts.