Former Louisiana Speaker Clay Schexnayder pleads not guilty to stealing a historic cypress board from state property.

Former Louisiana House Speaker Clay Schexnayder pleaded not guilty on January 8, 2026, to felony theft and malfeasance charges over the disappearance of a 20-foot-by-6-foot cypress board, believed to be from a 1,294-year-old tree, donated to the state in 1955. The artifact, last seen in his Gonzales office, vanished after he left office in 2024. Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office indicted him, asserting state property cannot be retained by individuals. Schexnayder claims he left the board behind and denies knowledge of its whereabouts, though he offered to assist investigators. The case remains active, with a next court date set for February 4.