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| NEWS > 19 January 2007 |
Other related articles:
Commission blocks police offic
A city commission has blocked the promotion of a Burbank Police lieutenant because he was named in an FBI probe into excessive force allegations.
The Civil Service Board Oct. 7 denied the proposed promotion of Lt. Armen Dermenjian, whose records were subpoenaed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of an investigation into alleged police misconduct.
The promotion was to last from Oct. 28 to Jan. 28, pending the return of Capt. Bill Taylor, who is on extended medical leave.
Taylor last month filed a civil lawsuit against the city, claiming he was unfairly demoted from... Read more
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FinalCall.com - Chicago,IL,USA
19 January 2007
This article appeared in the above title/site.
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New Orleans Police indicted fo
NEW ORLEANS, LA. (FinalCall.com) - On Sept. 4, 2005, while rescuers were still evacuating flood-stranded New Orleans residents from their rooftops in the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, police commandeered a truck and responded to what they initially reported as two officers downed during an armed attack on the Danziger Bridge that links the Gentilly and New Orleans East neighborhoods.
When the officers arrived, they said they were fired upon and then returned fire. After the gun smoke cleared Ronald Madison, a 40-year-old mentally disabled man who had refused to leave his dogs during the storm, and James Brissette, 19, were killed and four others were seriously wounded.
An NBC News crew was near the Danziger Bridge when the shooting happened. The videotape shot that morning captures repeated bursts of gunfire and shows police officers running. A yearlong NBC News investigation uncovered the series of events that unfolded on the bridge. But police officers and witnesses tell different stories. A police statement obtained by NBC News said Ronald Madison reached into his waistband and turned toward the officer. The statement said “one” shot was fired by an officer, which killed Madison. The police report went on to say an officer saw Madison’s brother throw a gun from the bridge, but NBC News said the officer who made the statement was not at the scene the day of the shooting.
From the outset, the shooting’s survivors have said they were simply crossing the bridge and ran in panic only after a pack of men they thought were criminals opened fire for no apparent reason. Susan Bartholomew told NBC News the officers opened fire on her group without warning. New Orleans police officers said they identified themselves, were fired upon, and then returned fire.
Follow-up media reports found that no officers had been wounded prior to the gunfire that killed Messrs. Madison and Brissette, casting doubt on the officers’ version of events, which was backed by the New Orleans Police Department. An autopsy found that Mr. Madison was shot in the back several times, contradicting a sergeant’s claims that the man, who had no prior criminal record, had come toward the officers and reached into his waistband before being shot. According to attorneys for the officers Mr. Madison was hit by seven pellets from one shotgun blast. An internal police department investigation cleared the seven officers- Sgt. Kenneth Bowen, Sgt. Robert Gisevius, Officer Anthony Villavaso, Officer Robert Faulcon, Officer Robert Barrios, Officer Michael Hunter, and Officer Ignatius Hills.
After a separate investigation by District Attorney Eddie Jordan and weeks of testimony a special grand jury deliberated for two hours, which resulted in the indictments of all seven officers on Dec. 28. Officer Robert Faulcon, Sgt. Kenneth Bowen and Officers Anthony Villavaso and Robert Gisevius were charged with murder. Officers Robert Barrios, Mike Hunter and Ignatius Hills were charged with attempted murder.
District Attorney Jordan released a written statement after the indictments were handed down, saying, “We can not allow our police officers to shoot and kill our citizens without justification like rabid dogs.” New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley and spokesmen from two police associations said the indictments are the result of a political witch hunt. At a news conference, Superintendent Riley said “A jury of their peers will decide their guilt or innocence. Until the final verdict is given, I urge the community to let the judicial system run its course.” Superintendent Riley commented on District Attorney Eddie Jordan’s statement, “We want justice first and foremost ...but for the district attorney to try and prejudice the community against these officers before all the evidence is heard is really, I think, a sad day for the city.”
On January 3, surrounded by colleagues offering hugs, handshakes and shouts of support, six New Orleans police officers and one former officer walked into Central Lockup to be booked on murder and attempted-murder charges stemming from the Danziger Bridge shooting. Applause broke out as the officers, accompanied by their individual attorneys and union representatives, headed to central booking. At the back of the crowd of more than 200, a woman called out, “Thank you, guys,” as others clasped hands with the indicted officers, who appeared visibly moved by the outpouring. One man in the group had tears in his eyes. “I’ve never seen such an outpouring of support in all the years I’ve been doing this. It was quite touching,” said Franz Zibilich, the attorney for former officer Robert Faulcon.
Mr. Faulcon and the three officers accused of first-degree murder will be spending an unknown amount of time in Orleans Parish Prison, due to a ruling by Chief Judge Raymond Bigelow that the men are ineligible for bail.
Not everyone offered comfort during the surrender of the police. A handful of protesters, marching outside the ring of support, pronounced the officers guilty and called them terrorists and thugs. The protestors held signs reading, “Police Killings Must Stop.” And shouts from inside the jail could be heard on the street below: a handful of voices screaming out obscenities and warnings. “Now you are on the inside!” one man yelled.
In addition to the protest held outside central booking, several community organizations, clergy and concern community members came together to express their desire to see justice rendered during a press conference. The press conference was held in front of the Evening Star Morning Church.
“When I look at all of the tragedies that our people are facing today, issue number one of the Millions More Movement (MMM) platform comes to my mind and that is unity,” Walter Muhammad said to The Final Call, who is chairman of the MMM Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of New Orleans. “After seeing people cheer these officers and calling them heroes it should have sent a clear message to our people that we must unify. The Police Chief must also take a stand for what is right for the people. But unity is the key for us.”
“We will be monitoring this case all the way till the end,” the Rev. Norwood of the Jesus Never Fails Church told The Final Call. “We have to get rid of corruption in all departments regardless of whom it is or where it is. We need to build back integrity inside of all departments starting with the NOPD.” The Rev. Norwood is also the President of the Greater New Orleans SCLC and is networking with other civil rights organizations to keep attention on this vexing case.
Nation of Islam Capt. Dennis Muhammad, is no stranger to controversy surrounding the New Orleans Police Department. “All around the country, particularly in the Black community, there is a growing hatred for police due to unjustifiable beatings and shootings,” Capt. Muhammad told The Final Call. “One major issue the people have with the police is that the good police officers never take a stand against corrupted officers.” Capt. Dennis is the founder of the Educating Neighborhoods to Obey Those in Authority (ENOTA) project that offers sensitivity training to law enforcement agencies to increase the respect level between the police and the community.
“To see these officers escorted and applauded sent a signal to the community that there will never be officers who will stand against this corruption. Judgment is always reserved when it comes to them, but it was not reserved for the victims because they did not receive due process. The city rejected sensitivity training and the end result is what we see now.”
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