Judge in LSU rape case of Madison Brooks has son that was serial rapist, let predator off with reduced bail

The judge presiding over the LSU Madison Brooks rape case cleared years off of the sentences of another criminal's conviction when he asked for only a reduced sentence. She also has an adult son who has multiple sex offender convictions. 

District Judge Gail Horne Ray's previous rulings and her son's situation have raised questions about her having a conflict of interests in the Brooks case.  

Brooks, 19, was killed when a car struck her in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The incident happened on Jan 15, 2023, after she was allegedly raped by four men by the names of Kaivon Washington, Everett Lee, Casen Carver, and Desmond Carter, per the Daily Mail.  

Ray is overseeing the trial, but questions surrounding her impartiality in the criminal case have been brought to light because she dismissed Donald Ray Link's 1972 rape conviction and released another rape suspect, De’Aundre Cox, on reduced bail in 2023.  

East Baton Rouge attorney Hillar Moor III told WBRZ, "I've never seen this done ever or heard of it ever done before" when Ray threw out Link's conviction. Link had only asked for a reduced sentence and Ray decided to overturn the conviction. Notably, Ray's son, Nelson Dan Taylor Jr., is a convicted serial rapist.  

Ray's son, then 17, was convicted of raping multiple classmates between the ages of 12-17 between the years of 1995 and 1996. He would break into their homes and attack the classmates at knifepoint. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison for the actions and required to serve a minimum of 25.  

When Ray took office as a judge in 2023, a few months later she released De’Aundre Cox, who was suspected of raping a neighbor. She did so on reduced bail pending his court hearing without notifying the district attorney of the decision. Cox has been charged with two counts of aggravated rape against the preteen girl and she was 12 years old when the alleged abuse crimes began. The preteen told officers that Cox threatened her with a knife in that case as well.  

LSU's Madison Brooks was allegedly raped by suspects Carter and Washington in a car while the other two watched the crime after a night of drinking. They allegedly left Brooks drunk on the side of the highway. She was later hit by a car around 3 am and succumbed to her injuries. The alleged rapists claim that that only consensual sex happened in the back of the car.