The horrors of Hurricane Katrina were compounded by law enforcement engaging in racial cleansing.
The jury has come back on the trial of the officers involved with the following:
Jury Verdict (partial):
Deprivation of James Brissette's civil rights
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Robert Gisevius: Guilty
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
Anthony Villavaso: Guilty
If guilty, jury must answer this question:
Did the offense result in the death of James Brissette?
Count 2
Use of a firearm in the Brissette shooting (only to be considered if at least one defendant is found guilty in Count 1)
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Robert Gisevius: Guilty
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
Anthony Villavaso: Guilty
For any defendant found guilty of Count 2, jury must answer this question: Did the defendant's use of a firearm cause the death of James Brissette?
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Robert Gisevius: Guilty
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
Anthony Villavaso: Guilty
If the answer for any of those defendants was yes, the jury must also answer this question:
Did the death of James Brissette involve circumstances constituting murder? No.
Count 3
Deprivation of Susan Bartholomew's civil rights
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Robert Gisevius: Guilty
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
Anthony Villavaso: Guilty
Count 4
Deprivation of Leonard Bartholomew III's civil rights
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Robert Gisevius: Guilty
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
Anthony Villavaso: Guilty
Count 5
Deprivation of Lesha Bartholomew's civil rights
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Robert Gisevius: Guilty
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
Anthony Villavaso: Guilty
Count 6
Deprivation of Jose Holmes' civil rights
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Robert Gisevius: Guilty
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
Anthony Villavaso: Guilty
Count 7
Use of a firearm in the shootings of Holmes and the Bartholomews
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Robert Gisevius: Guilty
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
Anthony Villavaso: Guilty
Count 8
Deprivation of Ronald Madison's civil rights by shooting
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
If guilty, jury must also answer this question:
Did the offense result in the death of Ronald Madison?
Count 9
Use of a firearm in the Madison shooting
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
If guilty, jury must also answer this question:
Did the defendant cause the death of Ronald Madison? Yes
If the answer is yes, the jury must also answer this question:
Did the death of Ronald Madison involve circumstances constituting murder? No.
So they got away with murder. I fear it will be a hot time in the Old South tonight.
I will update further.
10:18 AM PT:
Count 10
Deprivation of Ronald Madison's civil rights by beating
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Count 11
Conspiracy to obstruct justice and make false statements
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Robert Gisevius: Guilty
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
Anthony Villavaso: Guilty
Arthur "Archie" Kaufman: Guilty
Count 12
Conspiracy to violate Jose Holmes' civil rights by false prosecution
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Robert Gisevius: Guilty
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
Anthony Villavaso: Guilty
Arthur "Archie" Kaufman: Guilty
Count 13
Conspiracy to violate Lance Madison's civil rights by false prosecution
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Robert Gisevius: Guilty
Arthur "Archie" Kaufman: Guilty
Count 14
Falsification of evidence to obstruct justice
Arthur "Archie" Kaufman: Guilty
Count 15
Obstruction of justice by planting a firearm
Arthur "Archie" Kaufman: Guilty
Count 16
Making false statements to the FBI regarding a firearm
Arthur "Archie" Kaufman: Guilty
Count 17
Falsification of victim statements
Arthur "Archie" Kaufman: Guilty
Count 18
False statements to the FBI regarding victim statements
Arthur "Archie" Kaufman: Guilty
Count 19
September 2005 false statement to Arthur Kaufman in NOPD report
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Count 20
January 2006 taped false statement about shooting
Kenneth Bowen: Guilty
Count 21
January 2006 taped false statement about shooting
Robert Gisevius: Guilty
Count 22
June 2006 taped false statement about shooting
Robert Faulcon: Guilty
Count 23
January 2006 taped false statement about shooting
Anthony Villavaso: Guilty
Count 24
Fabrication of witnesses
Arthur "Archie" Kaufman: Guilty
Count 25
False statements to the FBI regarding fabrication of witnesses
Arthur "Archie" Kaufman: Guilty
H/T to Colotim: Times-Picayune
10:48 AM PT:
The verdicts were a huge victory for federal prosecutors, who won on virtually every point, save for their contention that the shootings were the equivalent of murder. The jury rejected that notion, finding that the officers violated the victims' civil rights, but that their actions did not constitute murder.