Perhaps some justice at last. The shootings are an example of "white privilege." If you are white, usually police officers don't shoot you when you are fleeing a flood. It's the flip side of racism.
Six officers with the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) were charged today in connection with the federal investigation of a police-involved shooting on the Danziger Bridge in the days after Hurricane Katrina, the Justice Department announced today. The incident resulted in the death of two civilians and the wounding of four others.
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The indictment alleges that officers Bowen, Gisevius, Faulcon and Villavaso open fired on an unarmed family on the east side of the bridge, killing 17-year- old James Brissette, and wounding Susan Bartholomew, 38; Leonard Bartholomew III, 44; the Bartholomew’s daughter, Lesha, 17; and the Bartholomew’s nephew, Jose Holmes, 19. The Bartholomews’ 14-year-old son ran away from the shooting and was fired at, but was not injured.
DOJ Press Release: Six New Orleans Police Officers Indicted in Danziger Bridge Case
The second shooting occurred minutes later on the west side of the bridge, where officers shot at brothers Lance and Ronald Madison, killing Ronald, a 40-year-old man with severe mental disabilities. The indictment alleges Faulcon shot Ronald Madison in the back as Ronald ran away. Bowen is charged with stomping and kicking Ronald Madison while Ronald was wounded, but not yet dead. Ronald later died at the scene.
DOJ Press Release: Six New Orleans Police Officers Indicted in Danziger Bridge Case
They weren't going to let African Americans cross that bridge. We still are a long way from a racially inclusive society.
The indictment charges four officers – Kenneth Bowen, Robert Gisevius, Robert Faulcon and Anthony Villavaso – in connection with the shootings, and charges those four officers and two supervisors – Arthur "Archie" Kaufman and Gerard Dugue – with helping to obstruct justice during the subsequent investigations.
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"In the days following Hurricane Katrina, the people of New Orleans were relying upon law enforcement to protect public safety. The officers indicted today are accused of abusing their power and violating their public trust. Today’s indictment exemplifies the department’s commitment to aggressively prosecute any officer who violates the law either by engaging in misconduct or a conspiracy to deny justice," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.
"Today’s indictment should serve as compelling evidence of our unswerving and unconditional commitment to achieve essential goals: to achieve true justice for any victims of the charged killings, shootings and abuse on the Danziger Bridge, and the alleged corrupt cover-up that followed; to unmask and bring to justice those officers who according to the indictment abused their power in committing violent crimes against the unarmed citizens they were sworn to protect; to restore the trust in the men and women of law enforcement who do serve the people and honor the badge; and to make certain that no one should ever have to fear those whose job it is to protect them," said Jim Letten, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana
DOJ Press Release: Six New Orleans Police Officers Indicted in Danziger Bridge Case
Attorney General Holder also spoke of the need to address the systemic problems that have challenged the New Orleans Police Department
As our investigation of the Danziger Bridge incident shows, the Justice Department will vigorously pursue anyone who allegedly violated the law. Put simply, we will not tolerate wrongdoing by those who have sworn to protect the public. We will hold offenders accountable.
But while accountability is a vital part of the reform process, it will take more than this investigation to renew the New Orleans Police Department and allow it to thrive. That is why the Justice Department is committed to using our civil statutes, technical expertise, and other tools to implement sustainable reforms and address the systemic problems that have challenged this Department. As we do so, the Justice Department will continue to include community leaders and residents in our reform efforts. This work is already underway and the Mayor and the City of New Orleans have been, and will continue to be, critical partners.
Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Danziger Bridge Indictments Press Conference
Update I: Some interesting details from cnn.com:
State prosecutors pursued criminal charges against several police officers without success. In August 2008, a judge quashed indictments against Bowen, Gisevius, Villavaso and former Officer Robert Faulcon Jr., all of whom were facing first-degree murder and attempted murder charges. In addition, the judge threw out attempted first-degree murder charges against Officers Mike Hunter Jr. and Robert Barrios, and attempted second-degree murder charges against Officer Ignatius Hills. Federal prosecutors opened an investigation after the judge's actions.
Four former city police officers pleaded guilty in federal court to charges relating to the shooting and to an alleged cover-up of the incident. Former Officer Robert Barrios pleaded guilty in April to a charge he failed to report a cover-up. His plea came after guilty pleas from three other former New Orleans police officers: Michael Lohman, Jeffrey Lehrmann and Hunter.
"The police maintained they fired at the civilians in self-defense, after the civilian fired at police," the U.S. Justice Department said in March. "However ... [Michael] Lohman pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiring with other officers to cover up what he had determined was a 'bad shoot' on the bridge. Today, defendant [Jeffrey] Lehrmann admitted that he also knew of and participated in a conspiracy to obstruct justice in the investigation of the shooting."
A witness to the shooting of Ronald Madison told CNN in 2006 that New Orleans police lined up "like at a firing range" and fatally shot the man in the back as he fled from them in the days after Hurricane Katrina swept ashore.
cnn.com: Indictments announced against officers in New Orleans bridge deaths