A former client of the Orleans Public Defenders has filed a civil rights lawsuit, alleging gross negligence and systemic failures that have denied him access to post-conviction relief. On February 19, 2026, Michael Mosley Jr. lodged the complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Danny Engelberg, Chief Public Defender for Orleans Parish, among others.
The lawsuit accuses the defendants of losing Mosley’s entire case file and providing incomplete or unrelated documents instead. This alleged mishandling has effectively barred Mosley from pursuing post-conviction relief, violating his Fourteenth Amendment rights. The complaint highlights that despite numerous requests made by Mosley and his advocates from July 2024 to November 2025, including direct communications with Engelberg and other officials, no substantive response or complete file was provided. On June 18, 2025, Mike Early from File Depot admitted via email that they could not locate Mosley’s file within their inventory.
Mosley’s advocates continued their efforts by formally requesting explanations and accountability measures regarding the lost records. They also sought public records detailing the contractual relationship between OPD and File Depot. Despite these efforts, as of November 13, 2025, neither the Louisiana Public Defender Oversight Board nor its Chairman Jeffrey Hufft took action to address these systemic issues.
The lawsuit claims violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for deprivation of rights and failure to train and supervise staff adequately. It also includes state law claims for professional negligence and breach of fiduciary duty. Mosley seeks declaratory judgment confirming constitutional violations, compensatory damages determined at trial, punitive damages for reckless indifference to his rights, immediate production or reconstruction of his case file, and other legal reliefs including attorney’s fees.
Representing himself in this matter is Michael Mosley Jr., while the case is overseen by Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle under Case ID: 2:26-cv-00375-ILRL-KWR.
Source: 226cv00375_Michael_Mosley_v_Danny_Engelberg_Complaint_Western_District_of_Louisiana.pdf
