Bourbon going bonkers

What's with this?: Bourbon Street, for all its rowdiness at all hours, is usually rather tame crimewise: Disneyland with alcohol. But this month, there all sorts of things happening there that should give you pause for your safety.

There was gunplay at Chris Owens' Club in the 500 block. A black chick was busted at Larry Flynt's Barely Legal strip joint in the 400 block for peddling cocaine. A white "lady" pulled a rod to chase away 2 unwanted suitors in the 100 block. Now this:

• A black woman, 22, barred from entering the Fat Catz Music Club at 440 Bourbon St. last Thursday (5.15.08) returned about 2 a.m. in a car and allegedly pointed a pistol at the bouncer who barred her. She fled in the vehicle but was apprehended a short time later. Arrested was Ciera Wells, who was charged with aggravated assault. She posted her bond of $20,000 and got out of jail before Sheriff Marlin Gusman could focus his Instamatic.

• A white couple was robbed in the restroom of Mango Mango (called by some "Mangle Mangle" after its abysmal conversion of the Old Absinthe House into a daiquiri dive nearly 10 years ago) at 400 Bourbon St. last Friday (5.16.08) at 4:30 a.m. The man was followed into the restroom by a white man, a black man, and a light-skinned black woman. One of the men struck the male victim. When the female victim tried to intercede, the black woman struck her. The black woman took the man's wallet and fled with her 2 male accomplices.
  

Dragging in the druggies: The 8th District Task Force has been hauling in street urchins on drug charges right and left since last Tuesday (5.13.08). Most are first time offenders, but Officers James Lipscomb and Kelly Morel scored big time with the arrest of Howard Fleming on Friday.

Fleming, 27, was apprehended at Chartres Street and Elysian Fields Avenue and charged with possession with intent to distribute Ecstasy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, attempted escape, resisting arrest, flight from an officer, assault on a police officer, criminal damage. He's in OPP on $71,500 bond for the 7 charges.

His only other previous charges in Orleans Parish were for first time possession of marijuana--3 times! The first time he was arrested 8.23.06, the DA refused to prosecute him. The next 2 times, on 12.22.06 and 7.23.07, he pled guilty each time and each time paid a fine of $200 (Don't ask me how you do something for the first time twice--must be a peculiarity of the Napoleonic Code).

He must have figured the penalties for drugs wasn't that great, so what the hell? This time he may be in just a little deeper--look at this picture.

Officers Lipscomb and Morel have been a 2-man drug wrecking crew the past week, making 8 other drug arrests, mostly for minor drug offenses:

• 800 block of St. Ann Street (between Dauphine and Bourbon streets), Tuesday (5.20.08), 2:30 a.m., white male, 32.

• St. Louis and Dauphine streets, Tuesday (5.20.08), 12:05 a.m., black male, 42.

• 1900 block of N. Rampart Street (between Pauger and Touro streets), Friday (5.16.08), 12:15 a.m., black male, 47.

• St. Ann and Bourbon streets, Thursday (5.15.08), 11:25 p.m., black male, 45.

• N. Peters Street and Elysian Fields Avenue, Thursday (5.15.08), 1:37 a.m., black male, 21.

• Dauphine and Orleans streets, Wednesday (5.14.08), 2 a.m., white man, 54.

• N. Peters Street and Elysian Fields Avenue, Wednesday (5.14.08), 10:30 p.m., 2 black males, 20.

• N. Peters Street and Elysian Fields Avenue, Wednesday (5.14.08), 10 p.m., white female, 20.

Other officers in the 8th District Task Force made these additional drug arrests:

• 900 block of St. Louis Street (between Dauphine and Burgundy streets), Tuesday (5.20.08), 1:20 a.m., Officers Willie Jenkins and Calcedonia Fiorella arrested a white male, 54.

• 300 block of Dauphine Street (between Bienville and Conti streets), Monday (5.19.08), 10:30 p.m., Officers Kelsey Lewis and Johnnie Brumfield arrested a black man, 32.

• Dauphine and St. Ann streets, Tuesday (5.13.08), 9:45 p.m., Officer Kelsey Lewis arrested a white female, 44.

These crimes were NOT reported: These crimes have been printed in the Times-Picayune but NOT reported by the 8th District, so it begs the question whether they happened or not:

• Aggravated burglary: 800 block of Touro Street (between Dauphine and Burgundy streets in the Marigny Triangle), Saturday (5.17.08), 4:01 p.m. (We're confident this happened because it was reported by a NOcrimeline subscriber as well as the T-P, though it wasn't reported by the 8th District.) 5 black boys entered a house where 2 Hispanic men were working and, armed with a handgun and hammer, demanded the men's wallets, which contained about $150.

Now let's see: If someone invades my home armed with a gun it's "aggravated burglary" and they could get at least 1 and up to 30 years if convicted. But if they rob me out on the street, they could get 10 to 99 years without parole for "armed robbery". Who decides these things?

• Assault and battery:

• Friday (5.16.08):
  
• 600 block of Conti Street, 4:03 p.m.
• Saturday (5.17.08):
  
• 400 block of Bourbon Street, 1 a.m.
• Orleans and Royal streets, 1:24 a.m.
• Constance and Julia streets, 2:36 a.m.
• 800 block of Fulton Street, 3:54 a.m.
• 300 block of Bourbon Street, 7:34 p.m.
• Sunday (5.18.08):
  
• First block of Canal Street, 5:24 a.m.
• 900 block of Iberville Street, 8:30 a.m.
• 900 block of Convention Center Boulevard, 5:11 p.m.

• Thefts:
• Friday (5.16.08):
  
• 600 block of Royal Street, 2:31 p.m.
• 900 block of Canal Street, 4:22 p.m.
• 1000 block of Canal Street, 5:12 p.m.
• 900 block of Canal Street, 6:35 p.m.
• Saturday (5.17.08):
  
• 200 block of St. Charles Avenue, 6:17 a.m.
• 900 block of Convention Center Boulevard, 11:46 a.m.
• 100 block of S. Claiborne Avenue, 11:59 a.m.
• 1000 block of Convention Center Boulevard, 2:50 p.m.
• 1400 block of Chartres Street, 7:55 p.m.
  
• Sunday (5.18.20):
  
• 500 block of Bourbon Street, Sunday (5.18.20), 3:04 a.m.
• Gravier Street and Loyola Avenue, 5:55 a.m.
• 900 block of Convention Center Boulevard, 9:39 a.m.
• 900 block of Convention Center Boulevard, 10:38 a.m.
• 100 block of St. Charles Avenue, 12:54 p.m.
• 800 block of Convention Center Boulevard, 6:55 p.m.

These crimes WERE reported: A well-armed trio of young black boys was apprehended this morning (5.20.08) after pulling off 2 armed robberies in the CBD.

In the first at 4:30 a.m. at Girod and Fulton streets, 2 white men, ages 39 and 30, were approached by the gang, one of whom was armed with a shotgun and ordered the pair to stop. The victims dropped their wallets on the ground and fled.

In the second at 4:45 a.m., a white 70-year-old cab driver was standing in the 900 block of Poeyfarre Street (between Constance and Annunciation streets) was approached by the gang wielding the shotgun and this time another boy had a pistol. They demanded the man's money and the victim complied.

The young punks fled on foot but were apprehended a short time later by the police, who confiscated the shotgun and pistol. Police arrested the young punks, who were identified by the Times-Picayune as Frederick Wilson, 15, Ericton Wilson, 14, and Brandon Carter, 15.

Once again, the question is: where the hell were the police? Wouldn't you think cops patrolling (they do patrol, don't they?) the area around the Convention Center might notice young boys running around at this hour of the morning? Don't we still have curfew laws the cops should have been enforcing? And don't you think they might have noticed a shotgun being toted down the street? If the cops had been doing their jobs, there's 3 people--maybe in town for a convention--who wouldn't have fallen victim to crime.

Another crime reported: A black couple who attacked a black woman as she was getting into her car in the 1100 block of Poydras Street yesterday (5.19.08) at 5 p.m. was apprehended today (5.20.08).

The victim locked her car doors when she noticed the couple walking toward her. The man pulled a pistol and began beating on the car's window with the butt of his gun. He then handed the gun to his female accomplice while he tried to pull the car's door open. The woman pointed the gun at the victim while the man managed to get the door open. After punching the victim in the chest, the perpetrators fled on foot.

Charisse Lykes, 32, was arrested just before 1 p.m. today and charged with 3 counts of aggravated assault, but she was freed on her own recognizance 4 hours later by Judge Camille Buras.

Bruce Pierre, 36, was booked shortly after 3 p.m. today (5.20.08) on a warrant for battery, but that charge was wiped from court records after Judge Ben Willard sprung him from jail on his own recognizance.

I don't know what these 2 have on those judges, but it doesn't make me feel any safer walking the streets. Remember those names when all the judges are up for election this fall.

Back behind bars: David Bonds, 19, was returned to Orleans Parish Prison today (5.20.08) just after noon to face a charge of attempted first degree murder. He is being held on $750,000 bond.

Famous as the kid who beat a murder rap last month in the case of a noted 9th Ward musician, Bonds was apprehended Friday (5.16.08) afternoon in Thibodaux by Lafourche Parish Sheriff's deputies after a manhunt resulted in a brief foot chase.

The kid who beat the murder rap in the case of a Mid-city musician only to be charged less than a month later with attempted murder in a shooting at Canal and St. Charles streets was arrested yesterday.

Bonds allegedly shot a 25-year-old white guy in the chest with a handgun following an argument at Canal and St. Charles streets at 5:35 a.m. on 5.4.08. At that time the victim was reported as critical but stable at a local hospital. A pair of eyewitnesses to the Canal Street shooting identified Bonds from photographs.

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com.

Thom Kahler

Bringing in the bad guys

Bonds, David Bonds: The kid who beat a murder rap in the case of a Mid-city musician--only to be charged less than a month later with attempted murder in a shooting at Canal and St. Charles streets--has been apprehended.

David Bonds, 19, was arrested yesterday (5.16.08) afternoon in Thibodaux by Lafourche Parish Sheriff's deputies after a manhunt resulted in a brief foot chase. He's being held as in the Lafourche Detention Center in Thibodaux, charged as a fugitive and for resisting arrest.

Bonds allegedly shot a 25-year-old white guy in the chest with a handgun following an argument on the busy CBD corner at 5:35 a.m. on 5.4.08. At that time the victim was reported as critical but stable at a local hospital. (The Times-Picayune reported that Bonds is wanted for murder in this case, but you know how they are with the facts. To our knowledge the victim has not died and Bonds is still charged only with attempted murder.)

A pair of eyewitnesses to the Canal Street shooting identified Bonds from photographs and a warrant was issued for his arrest on a charge of attempted murder. He's a little twerp: 5'5" tall, weighing 140 pounds.

Shooter's target back behind bars: To our knowledge, the 8th District didn't toot their own horn when they rearrested Bruce Jones--the citizen shooter's target--on 4.15.08 for attempted armed robbery.

Jones, 26, nearly had his butt shot off by a citizen who turned the tables on him when Jones came up behind the citizen in the 500 block of Burgundy Street at 12:30 a.m. on 4.8.08. As Jones allegedly went to pull a large gun from his waistband, the citizen pulled his own .38-caliber revolver and got off 4 laser-guided shots at Jones. Jones, a lucky man indeed, was not hit, and may have even been relieved when cops arrived and hauled him off, charged with aggravated assault and carrying a concealed weapon. (The citizen shooter, by the way, finally got his gun back just recently.)

After Jones made the rather paltry $6,000 bond the next day and got out of jail, 8th District detectives decided he was a suspect in the attempted armed robbery of the Compac convenience store at Dauphine and St. Louis streets on 3.24.08 and issued a warrant for his arrest. They quietly hauled him in on 4.15.08 and now he sits in OPP on $35,000 bond.

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com.

Thom Kahler

War on crime won?

Or just quiet?: It's probably the sign of a sick mind when you think the police are not reporting the crimes committed in your neighborhood rather than rejoicing that maybe the good guys have finally turned the tide on the bad guys. But, man, it's been quiet in the 8th District the last couple of weeks; a few pursesnatchings and a couple of more dangerous crimes that didn't involve law-abiding citizens. But not the usual complement of armed robberies, assaults, and mayhem that usually terrorizes the French Quarter, Marigny Triangle, and CBD.

If it's true that it's not happening rather than not being reported, then the goal is being achieved. Let's rejoice and hope it's sustained.

But there was a shooting: Talk about having somebody out to get you. On Saturday (5.10.08) at about 12:30 a.m., a black gentleman, a patron of Chris Owens Club, got into an argument with a black ruffian who allegedly pulled a pistol and pointed it at him. The victim grabbed the gun and wrestled it away from his assailant.

Police quickly arrived and arrested Terrence Johnson, 21, (pictured top) and charged him with aggravated assault and illegally carrying a weapon.

But that's not the end of the story. As the victim exited the club at 500 Bourbon St. a short while later, he spotted another black dude who apparently didn't much care for him either because he too pulled a gun and allegedly fired it at him. As luck would have it, the bullet missed the intended victim and instead struck a black woman standing outside the club in the leg. She was taken to the hospital where she was listed in stable condition.

The gunman fled on foot but was apprehended a short time later and his pistol recovered. Police arrested Christopher Nabonne, 18, (pictured bottom) and charged him with aggravated battery and aggravated assault. (Why not attempted murder? Because he didn't hit the actual person he intended to shoot?)

Unless he's sure these are the only guys out to get him, the victim may want to consider residence elsewhere. They say Montana is lovely this time of the year.

Then there was this: You might remember reading in the Times-Picayune on Tuesday (5.13.08) about a shooting at Touro and Burgundy streets on Sunday (5.11.08) at 10:04 p.m. The paper reported that "a stranger ran up to a vehicle being driven by a 24-year-old man shot the man in the face, chest, side and buttocks" and that the victim underwent surgery at Tulane University Hospital. But Maj. Edwin Hosli, commander of the 8th District which includes the Marigny Triangle where the incident supposedly happened, has no idea what the T-P is talking about. He has no record of such a crime occurring in his jurisdiction, and he would know if it had.

You don't supposed the Times-Picayune makes this stuff up, do you? Naw, come on...really? From my 40 years in newspapers, I know they make mistakes, but I know of none who cut a story from a whole piece of cloth. Inquiries to the T-P for more information on this "incident" have been for naught. Finally on Friday (5.16.08) the T-P printed a correction: the shooting was at Touro and Urquhart streets--4 blocks away in the NOPD's 1st District.

And, as Maj. Hosli notes, wouldn't you think a guy being blasted 4 times would be all over the TV news?

Speaking of which: As we reported in our last column, the police and the public were at odds over the mysterious mugging 4.24.08 of "Kevin". A friend of the victim's complained that the 8th District did not have a report on the incident; the 8th District complained that no one had come forward to make a report.

Now the friend quoted in the column, plus other friends of Kevin's, have come forward and are cooperating with Maj. Hosli in trying to piece together what happened. Stay tuned; we'll report it when we get it.

What it boils down to is this: If you know about a crime, or even witness something suspicious, call the police and tell them what you know. Police work thrives on input from the public. If you care about curbing crime, you have to do your part by providing that input.

Pistol-packing mama: 8th District police arrested a 24-year-old white chick for allegedly pulling a pistol and pointed it at a white guy and a black guy during an argument Wednesday (5.14.08) at 4:40 a.m. in the 100 block of Bourbon Street.

After brandishing the gun, she walked away, but police caught up with and arrested Lyndi Gajan and charged her with aggravated assault and illegally carrying a weapon.

Her bond was set at $7,000, but Judge Frank Marullo Jr. let her out on her own recognizance.

Barely legal, indeed: On 5.8.08 at 6:45 a.m., 8th District officers Terrence Wilson and Joseph Jefferson arrested Crystal Ellis, a 27-year-old black woman, at Larry Flynt's Barely Legal strip club, 411 Bourbon St., and charged her with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

Her bond was set at $10,000, but apparently she was sufficiently endowed to be able to post that amount rather quickly and get out of jail, so we can't show you her picture.

His first time?: The next day (5.9.08) at 5:45 a.m., 8th District Officer Claude Daniel arrested Tevest Vance, a 30-year-old black dude, at Burgundy and Conti streets, and charged him with "first offense" possession of marijuana.

The trouble is, Vance has a long history of drug charges--including pleading guilty to "first offense" possession of marijuana in 1999. So tell me again how the justice system works.

Burglar thwarted: Without supplying any details, 8th District police arrested Kevin Earin, 45, for burglary Monday (5.12.08) at 1:25 a.m. at 921 Canal St., which is listed as the address of The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton. His bond is set at $25,000, far more than even drug dealers get.

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com.

Thom Kahler

Suspicious minds

Chasing the truth: NOcrimeline always welcomes information from its subscribers. It sometimes is ahead of the official reports and sometimes it provides details the NOPD is unwilling to. But to be useful, it has to be accurate.

It seems like I've spent all week bugging Maj. Hosli about crimes people think happened and about rumors they've heard here and there. To the 8th District commander's credit, he has dutifully and patiently tracked every one of them down to give the facts as he can find them.

It began a couple of weeks ago with a NOcrimeline subscriber's query about what he called "the brutal beating and robbery (the assailant used a lead pipe repeatedly and with much damage even after Kevin [the victim] was unconscious)" which he said happened in the 900 block of Conti Street on 4.24.08 around 11 p.m.

"The mugger got off with his wallet, money and keys and left him in a pool of blood in the street," he added. He reported his friend was due to undergo surgery 4.28.08 at University Hospital to try to make bone repairs.

I checked the police reports that the 8th District sends out and found no crime like that reported for 4.24.08, but that there was one a similar one on 4.26.08; I asked was he sure of the date?

His response: "It is verifiable that Kev is in the hospital. Could there NOT be a police report when an ambulance scrapes a body off the street and rushes him to the ER?"

In those cases, says Maj. Hosli, EMS and the hospital usually notify the NOPD.

Now Kevin's friend says, "When the ETs asked the policeman about a report of the mugging, the cop said (according to Kev), 'We don't need a report...he was in a fight'. Kevin is now doing a police report (by email) refuting that."

This was too much for Maj. Hosli. He noted that, if the victim was beaten "unconscious," there must be witnesses who told him the assailant continued to beat him after he was knocked out. So Maj. Hosli sent a detective to the hospital on Thursday (5.7.08) to see if he could find the "victim"; he couldn't.

"I welcome "Kevin" to make a report," Maj. Hosli replied. "I just sent one of my detectives to University Hospital to check on Charles "Kevin" Lenhart. Unless he is also using a different name, he has not been in the hospital in the last couple of months."

So what is our "informant" trying to pull? Trying to manufacture "proof" the police are not reporting all the crime in the French Quarter? If you know Charles "Kevin" Lenhart as well as our "informant" thinks he does, or if you have information about this incident, contact Maj. Hosli at Ehosli@cityofno.com. I think Maj. Hosli has bent over backwards to try to get to the bottom of this effort to malign his crime reporting.

Another rumor: Another NOcrimeline subscriber says she heard from 2 different sources that the kid who was arrested for all those robberies was actually 9 years old, rather than 14. Asked were she heard that, she replied:

"My husband was chatting with a Guardian Angel at the post office across from the Blacksmith Shop...The Guardian Angel told my husband to be careful while walking around the Lower Quarter...that the bad guys are younger than we might think. Husband responded that he was aware of the 14-year-olds carrying guns, and the Guardian Angel told him 'younger than that–how about 9 years old?'

"The other source, an acquaintance of mine, mentioned in passing that she overheard 2 cops speaking on the subject of the 9-year-old caught for the robbery on Burgundy Street."

She speculated that the police might have lied about the kid's age because there would be public outrage if the robber was as young as 9 (there's enough outrage over 14).

Maj. Hosli delved into it and replied: "His date of birth is 9.20.93. 14 years old. It appears your source gave you bad information," adding rather emphatically, "The truth is that if he would have been 9 years old, I would have reported him as being 9 years old."

I believe him. I also believe the source heard what she heard. Does this mean the Guardian Angels, who tout their close relationship with the NOPD's 8th District, are trying to be self-important with supposedly "exclusive" information they've picked up from god-knows-where? And what about those cops? More rent-a-cops (like in the infamous Vietnamese cop incident) spouting off?

They fought the law, the law won: 8th District officers several suspects for robberies and assaults this past week:

• Rodney Jones, 42, (pictured) black male, 5'10" tall, weighs 160 pounds: Charged with simple robbery in an assault on a white man on Wednesday (5.7.08) at 10:05 p.m. in the 1100 block of Bourbon Street.

• Kardell Smith,19, a black male, 5'11" tall, weighs 160 pounds: Charged with aggravated assault after an altercation with a white man and a black man, bouncers at a business at 227 Bourbon St. on Tuesday (5.6.08) at 1:20 a.m. Smith allegedly pulled a gun and pointed it at the bouncers when they followed him to the 100 block of Bourbon Street. Smith, though a defendant in a cocaine drug trial that's been dragging through the court since 2006, managed to make $15,000 bond and walk out of OPP in this case.

• Kenric Wilson, 21, a black male, 5'10" tall, weighing 170 pounds: is wanted on a warrant charging him with the robbery of a white woman last Saturday (5.3.08) at 4:15 a.m. at the corner of Bourbon and St. Ann streets.

Auto thieves caught: Contrary to popular belief, the NOPD does, every once in a while, catch thieves who break into cars. Arrested recently and charged with simple burglary and damage to state property were:

• Floyd Tyuse, 25, (pictured top) black male, 6' tall, 160 pounds. Arrested by 8th District Officers Brandon Ludwig and Billy Tregle for auto burglary at Burgundy and Conti streets on Thursday (5.8.08). He's being held in OPP in lieu of a $30,000 bond.

This dude didn't know when he had it good. He was just released a month ago when the DA decided not to prosecute him and his girlfriend for armed robbery with a firearm. Maybe they can make this stick.

• Corey Robertson, 29, (pictured bottom) black male, 5'11" tall, weighing 175 pounds. Arrested by 8th District officers for simple burglary and damage to state property in the 1000 block of St. Philip Street on 5.1.08. He is being held on $10,500 bond.
  

Graffiti arrest: Likewise, it's rare the police are able to catch up with graffiti artists, but the damage they've been doing in the last month or so in the Lower Quarter is significant. But credit a NOcrimeline subscriber with spotting some spraypainting scofflaws last Saturday night (5.3.08) shortly after 11 p.m., which led to an arrest.

"My wife and I were walking, turning the corner onto Dauphine Street from Gov. Nicholls Street when we spotted 2 young white guys huddled by the gate at 1137 Dauphine," he reported. "We thought they were either urinating or lighting up a joint, turns out they had tagged the gate.

"They proceeded to walk down Dauphine, stopping to tag a campaign poster near Cabrini Park, we followed them and called 911 to report the incident. They turned right onto Esplanade Avenue and hung out with the crowd at Port O'Call for a few minutes. They began to walk towards Bourbon Street when I flagged down a patrol car and reported the incident to the officer, another patrol car was on the corner of Bourbon and Esplanade and stopped the 2 while the first cruiser stopped to assist.

"Turned out the 2 were from out of town, one was 22, the other underage. In addition to the black marking pen found on the one that we identified as the artist, the police also recovered a bag of marijuana and the 2 were taken away."

8th District officers did arrest Dustin R. Sanders, 22, for possession of marijuana and apparently gave him a municipal summons for the graffiti. He managed to skedaddle out of OPP on the $500 bond for pot, but the graffiti charge means he'll probably get a slap on the wrist at best. (If he was charged under state law, he could be fined up to $500 and given 6 months in jail. Under the city code, the fine is a minimum of $100 and a maximum of $500 plus community service, or up to 3 months in jail.)

The good citizen who reported this laments: "Sadly, their writing is nothing like the others in the neighborhood, so overall this arrest will probably have little to no impact, but I suppose every little bit helps. No telling what all they did the night before we spotted them."

Vigilance always helps.

Disorder in the court: Jerome J. Dominick's case on burglary charges from late last year have been bouncing around the court for months now. The case took another bounce Thursday (5.8.08) when Dominick, 24, decided he didn't like what he was hearing in court and got up and left.

According to the court clerk's minutes: "The defendant, Jerome J. Dominick, failed to remain in court for this case. (The) victim stated in court that he is being harassed by (the) defendant. A protective order could not be issued because (the) defendant left the courtroom before this case was called."

Judge Laurie A. White issued a warrant for his arrest; he'll be held without bond when apprehended. He had been out of OPP, free on his own recognizance, thanks to Judge Julian Parker.

Height of chutzpah: In the middle of JazzFest we got this email:

"Can you give me the top 10 places where stolen vehicles end up, post Katrina? My truck was taken Sunday at Bayou Road and N. Broad Street. I was actually very illegally parked and didn't realize it, but the city did not tow my vehicle! I don't what to make of it, but it's definitely been stolen and yet it was parked facing the wrong direction and in a fire zone! Could a tow truck operator be stealing illegally parked cars? (I've called every tow company and no one has it.) Anyway, I wanted to scan the streets myself as the truck was not fully insured."

I'm still trying to figure out how he's so sure his car wasn't towed by the city if it was as illegally parked as he says. Obviously, he hasn't made a police report. Okay, dude, here's what you do: start obeying the laws yourself--and get that piece of junk insured.

How about this?: It would be a shame to let Jim Bernazzani get away after being ousted by the FBI as agent in charge here because he had aspirations to run for mayor in a couple of years, although it turns out he wouldn't meet the residency requirements in 2010. So how about district attorney this year?

True, we've already got a couple of big names running already whose last names end in vowels, but Bernazzani's background might withstand scrutiny a little better. Leon Cannizzaro is indebted to 2 convicted felons with close ties to former mayor Marc Morial after his last run for office. Ralph Capitelli is linked with organized gambling figures.

Or, if Mayor Nagin really was committed to making New Orleans safe again--and had any testicular fortitude--he could appoint Bernazzani as Police Superintendent. Big Chief Warren Riley, bless his soul, is probably good to his mama but he's just not up to the task of ridding the city of crime.

(Word on the street is he wants to hang on to the job until October when he'll have 3 years in as chief and can retire at his full salary. I think the city council would be more than happy to accelerate that if they thought it would get a tough chief with new ideas to reduce crime in the city.)

As seen on TV: Frustrated by the rising crime rate in the French Quarter, Joshua Clark, better known as an author and editor, has launched a campaign called QuarterSafe. At the heart of the movement is an effort to get every residence in the Quarter to install its own video surveillance camera.

"For 10 bucks and a few minutes of work, you can help drastically curb the daily robberies and assaults on our French Quarter streets," Clark says. "A simple $10 video camera security system for your home can be used with your existing PC. Our goal is to build a reliable network of functioning security cameras in order to both deter and catch criminals who dare to enter the Quarter."

For complete details, go to the NOcrimeline webpage for the link to QuarterSafe in the top right corner.

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com.

Thom Kahler

Wanted...

Can you believe it?: I was just about to reassure--for the umpteenth time--a NOcrimeline subscriber that the 8th District is, indeed, reporting all major crimes occurring in its bailiwick. Then I sit down to watch the 5 o'clock news and hear there's a warrant out for the little dude who walked free last month in the murder of a popular musician--this time for a shooting Sunday morning (5.4.08) at the corner of Canal and St. Charles streets.

Hmmm, I don't recall reading about a shooting in the report the 8th District sent out at 2:37 p.m. Monday afternoon (5.5.08). But after the story was all over the 5 and 6 o'clock news, here comes another email from the 8th District at 6:50 p.m. reporting that a warrant had been issued for David Bonds, 18, the suspect in Sunday's here-to-fore unpublicized shooting. Maybe we aren't getting all the news from the 8th District, after all.

The white victim (the police refuse to give his age) and a group of friends got into an argument with Bonds and his entourage (that's French, I think, for "gang") at about 5:35 a.m., according to the 8th District's belated report. Bonds allegedly pulled a gun pulled a handgun and fired it, striking the other fella in the chest. The victim is reported in critical but stable condition at a local hospital.

A pair of eyewitnesses to the crime identified Bonds from photographs and a warrant was issued for his arrest on a charge of attempted murder. He's a little twerp: 5'5" tall, weighing 140 pounds.

This is the second shooting mentioned in the same breath with Bonds after his acquittal 4.10.08 in the shooting death of Dinerral Shavers in 2006. You remember that case because of the controversy over the reluctance of a young girl to identify Bonds as the shooter, forcing the DA to drop the case. Charges were reinstated after the DA located more witnesses, but when it came time to testify this last time, they went blind when Bonds allegedly made threatening gestures toward them in the courtroom.

Then a week after Bonds went free, one of the witnesses against him, Guy McEwen, who didn't actually identify Bonds, was gunned down on an Uptown street on 4.17.08. Police say there is no connection between McEwen's death and Bonds' trial, and Bonds is not known to have a role in his demise.

But now Bonds is running the streets of the French Quarter and CBD as an armed and dangerous fugitive. Let's hope the NOPD takes him down before one of us becomes a victim. His 19th birthday is Wednesday (5.7.08). Let's celebrate him into OPP!

More wanted: 8th District detectives have also issued warrants for other suspects in some recent robberies. Warrants are out for:

• Victor Russell, 48, black male, 6'1" tall, weighs 165 pounds: He's wanted for robbing a white woman of her purse on 4.26.08 at 5:15 a.m. while she was walking on Carondelet Street near Girod Street.

• Mark Melerine, 34, white male, 5'11" tall, weighing 180 pounds: He's wanted for snatching a woman's purse last Tuesday (4.29.08) in the 1300 block of Bourbon Street at 12:25 p.m. He reportedly hopped out of a white SUV and grabbed her purse, splitting her lip in the process. He has short hair and was wearing a white polo shirt and beige pants. His accomplice who was driving the SUV has not been identified.
  

Melerine is also wanted in a pursesnatching on 4.4.08 at 1:25 a.m. in the 100 block of N. Peters Street. His alleged accomplice in that crime is Randal A. Campo, 40, who is in OPP on $25,000 bond, charged with simple robbery.

Arrested:

• Jesse Akmin, 18, black male, 6'1" tall, weighing 180 pounds: He and 2 accomplices allegedly held up a white man last Tuesday (4.29.08) who was walking in the 1400 block of Chartres Street near Esplanade Avenue around 10:40 p.m. He was charged with armed robbery and is in OPP in lieu of $100,000 bond.
  

All the robbers were described as 20 to 30 years old, about 6' tall. The gunman's weight was guessed as 180 pounds, and he was said to have short dreadlocks and corn rows, and was wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

8th District police had just arrested Akmin on 4.4.08 in the French Quarter for possession of marijuana. And they say drugs won't hurt you.

Robbery, plain and simple: It's hard to believe there was no commotion of any sort for 3 whole days in the 8th District. But, if that's true, let's herald it as good news. After a slew of armed robberies and pursesnatchings last Tuesday (4.29.08) following a week's hiatus, there was nothing reported by the 8th District NOPD until these incidents this weekend:

• Saturday (5.3.08), 4:15 a.m., Bourbon and St. Ann streets: A white woman was standing on the corner when a black man came up from the front and grabbed her purse. He fled down St. Ann toward N. Rampart Street. He was described as 6'1" tall, weighing 170 pounds, wearing a red, tan and black striped shirt.

• Sunday (5.4.08), 3 a.m., 300 block of Burgundy Street: A black man walking down the street was robbed of a gold chain around his neck by a black man who ran up behind him. The victim chased the culprit down Conti Street toward N. Rampart Street and the police apprehended Anthony Johnson, 21, shortly after and charged him with simple robbery, flight from an officer, and criminal trespass.
  

NONPAC: The meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday (5.8.08) at the Maison Dupuy Hotel, 1001 Toulouse St. (at Burgundy Street).

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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com.

Thom Kahler

Crimes reported in April 2008

These are the crimes reported during April, 2008 in the 8th District (French Quarter, Marigny Triangle, CBD) as listed on the NOPD's crime map, which gives the dates and locations, but not the time the crimes occurred:

Armed robbery

4.02.08, 1000 Ursulines Ave.
4.03.08, 900 Bienville St.
4.06.08, 1000 Bienville St.
4.07.08, 900 Orleans Ave.
4.08.08, 900 Dumaine St.
4.08.08, 900 St. Philip St.
4.09.08, Loyola Ave. & Poydras St.
4.11.08, Dauphine St. & Ursulines Ave.
4.11.08, 900 Chartres St.
4.11.08, 1100 Bourbon St.
4.13.08, Decatur St. & St. Philip St.
4.13.08, 600 St. Louis St.
4.29.08, 800 Union St.
4.29.08, 600 Dauphine St.
4.29.08, 1400 Chartres St.

Simple robbery/pursesnatching

4.04.08, Simple robbery, 600 Dauphine St.
4.04.08, Pursesnatching, 100 N. Peters St.
4.06.08, Pursesnatching, Canal St. & Basin St.
4.09.08, Simple robbery, 800 Bourbon St.
4.11.08, Pickpocketing, Royal St. & Bienville St.
4.12.08, Pursesnatching, Decatur St. & Toulouse St.
4.13.08, Simple robbery, Dauphine St. & Kerlerec St.
4.19.08, Simple robbery, 1000 Bourbon St.
4.19.08, Simple robbery, 800 St. Ann St.
4.20.08, Simple robbery, 600 Iberville St.
4.24.08, Pursesnatching, 700 Canal St.
4.26.08, Simple robbery, Conti St. & Dauphine St.
4.26.08, Simple robbery, Girod St. & Carondelet St.
4.29.08, Pursesnatching, 1300 Bourbon St.

Assault & battery

4.05.08, Aggravated battery (cutting), 2000 Burgundy St.
4.08.08, Aggravated assault, 500 Burgundy St.
4.08.08, Aggravated battery (cutting), 800 Toulouse St.
4.25.08, Aggravated battery (cutting), St. Peter St. & Chartres St.

Burglary

4.05.08, 400 Canal St.
4.05.08, 500 St. Louis St.
4.09.08, 500 Dauphine St.
4.10.08, 1700 N. Rampart St.
4.11.08, 700 St. Peter St.
4.13.08, 100 Royal St.
4.14.08, 400 Notre Dame St.
4.14.08, 1900 Dauphine St.
4.17.08, 800 Burgundy St.
4.20.08, 500 Frenchmen St.
4.21.08, 200 Loyola Ave.
4.22.08, 1000 Decatur St.
4.23.08, 2100 Chartres St.
4.23.08, 2100 Chartres St.
4.24.08, 700 Tchoupitoulas St.
4.24.08, 500 St. Peter St.
4.24.08, 700 Ursulines Ave.
4.25.08,1800 Burgundy St.
4.28.08, 900 N. Rampart St.
4.28.08, 1500 Poydras St.
4.28.08, 600 Elysian Fields Ave.

Theft

4.01.08, 600 St. Peter St.
4.01.08, 500 St. Peter St.
4.02.08, 200 Loyola Ave.
4.02.08, 300 Chartres St.
4.02.08, 900 Decatur St.
4.03.08, Bourbon St. & Conti St.
4.03.08, 300 Bourbon St.
4.03.08, 300 Bourbon St.
4.04.08, 1200 Chartres St.
4.05.08, 500 Bourbon St.
4.06.08, 600 Canal St.
4.06.08, 300 Camp St.
4.06.08, 300 Bourbon St.
4.07.08, 300 Royal St.
4.07.08, 1100 Chartres St.
4.07.08, 800 Canal St.
4.08.08, 200 S Rampart St.
4.08.08, 100 Royal St.
4.10.08, 600 Chartres St.
4.10.08, 200 Poydras St.
4.10.08, 300 Camp St.
4.10.08, 300 St. Charles Ave.
4.10.08, Dauphine St. & St. Philip St.
4.11.08, 100 St. Charles Ave.
4.11.08, 700 Iberville St.
4.12.08, Poydras St.
4.12.08, 100 Decatur St.
4.12.08, 300 Chartres St.
4.13.08, 1000 Canal St.
4.14.08, 600 Bourbon St.
4.15.08, 600 Bourbon St.
4.15.08, 500 Canal St.
4.16.08, 100 Royal St.
4.16.08, 500 St. Philip St.
4.18.08, 300 Magazine St.
4.18.08, N. Rampart St. & Orleans Ave.

4.19.08, 500 Canal St.
4.19.08, 300 Poydras St.
4.19.08, 700 S. Peters St.
4.20.08, 1200 Dauphine St.
4.20.08, 800 St. Peter St.
4.20.08, 100 Magazine St.
4.21.08, 400 St. Charles Ave.
4.21.08, 1400 Tulane Ave.
4.23.08, 400 Bourbon St.
4.24.08, 200 Bourbon St.
4.24.08, 300 Chartres St.
4.25.08, 800 Bourbon St.
4.25.08, 300 Baronne St.
4.25.08, 700 Frenchmen St.
4.26.08, 1000 St. Peter St.
4.26.08, 200 Chartres St.
4.26.08, Canal St.
4.26.08, 500 Canal St.
4.27.08, 300 Chartres St.
4.27.08, 500 Tchoupitoulas St.
4.27.08, 500 St. Ann St.
4.28.08, 1400 Poydras St.
4.28.08, 100 Elk Pl.
4.29.08, 800 Toulouse St.
4.29.08, 400 Bourbon St.
4.29.08, 500 Gov. Nicholls St.
4.29.08, 400 Bourbon St.
4.29.08, 300 St. Charles Ave.

Auto theft

4.02.08, Conti St. & Chartres St.
4.04.08, 1300 Decatur St.
4.04.08, Conti St. & Dauphine St.
4.04.08, St. Peter St. & Burgundy St.
4.06.08, 300 Dauphine St.
4.06.08, 900 Bourbon St.
4.06.08, Dauphine St. & Orleans Ave.
4.08.08, 600 Dauphine St.
4.08.08, Burgundy St. & Frenchmen St.
4.08.08, Loyola Ave. & Perdido St.
4.09.08, Natchez St. & Magazine St.
4.09.08, Howard Ave. & Loyola Ave.
4.09.08, 1500 Girod St.
4.10.08, Girod St. & Loyola Ave.
4.10.08, Camp St. & Poydras St.
4.10.08, S. Rampart St. & Lafayette St.
4.11.08, Esplanade Ave. & Dauphine St.
4.12.08, Burgundy St. & St. Peter St.
4.12.08, Iberville St. & Burgundy St.
4.12.08, Carondelet St. & Poydras St.
4.12.08, 700 Iberville St.
4.13.08, Exchange Alley & Canal St.
4.13.08, 700 St. Peter St.
4.13.08, 1400 Chartres St.
4.13.08, Calliope St. & S. Peters St.
4.13.08, Basin St. & Canal St.
4.14.08, Dauphine St. & Toulouse St.
4.15.08, 400 St. Charles Ave.
4.16.08, O'Keefe Ave. & Perdido St.
4.19.08, Dauphine St. & St. Louis St.
4.19.08, 100 Iberville St.
4.19.08, Decatur St. & Elysian Fields Ave.
4.20.08, Bourbon St. & Ursulines Ave.
4.20.08, 300 Julia St.
4.21.08, 700 Barracks St.
4.22.08, 1300 Perdido St.
4.24.08, 800 Iberville St.
4.24.08, 500 Madison St.
4.25.08, Chartres St. & St. Philip St.
4.25.08, Poydras St.
4.26.08, 800 Toulouse St.
4.26.08, St. Peter St. & Decatur St.
4.26.08, Dauphine St. & Esplanade Ave.
4.27.08, 1600 Canal St.
4.28.08, Dauphine St. & St. Louis St.
4.28.08, 1600 Canal St.
4.29.08, Dauphine St. & Dumaine St.
4.29.08, 1000 Dauphine St.

Car break-ins

4.03.08, 800 Commerce St.
4.04.08, 300 Loyola Ave.
4.10.08, 2100 N. Rampart St.
4.12.08, 800 Iberville St.
4.12.08, 800 Iberville St.
4.12.08, 100 St. Charles Ave.
4.12.08, 800 Iberville St.
4.14.08, 100 Royal St.
4.15.08, 900 Iberville St.
4.17.08, 100 Burgundy St.
4.18.08, 500 Dauphine St.
4.19.08, 200 N. Peters St.
4.19.08, Perdido St. & O'Keefe Ave.
4.20.08, 500 Conti St.
4.20.08, 300 Burgundy St.
4.22.08, Iberville St. & Burgundy St.
4.23.08, 900 Barracks St.
4.25.08, 1000 Bienville St.
4.25.08, Burgundy St. & Canal St.
4.26.08, 1000 Bienville St.
4.26.08, 1600 Canal St.
4.29.08, S. Saratoga St. & Canal St.

Too good to last

Armed robberies resume: After more than a week with no reports of armed robberies in the 8th District, the bad guys are back in action. The lull coincided with the apprehension of that little 14-year-old black boy and his cousin for a number of robberies. Don't think the little twerp's out roaming the streets of the French Quarter at all hours again, do you? That's the trouble with these juvenile jerks--you don't know whether they're still in jail or some kindly judge has sent them home to the bosoms of their mamas.

But here's what's been going on, armed robbery-wise:

• Tuesday (4.29.08), 6 a.m., 600 block of Dauphine Street: A black man was walking on Dauphine (toward Toulouse from St. Peter) when he was approached from behind by a silver-colored 2-door vehicle driven by a black dude who pulled a pistol and demanded the victim's money. The victim complied and the robber sped off toward Canal Street.

The robber was described as heavy set, medium complexion, with short hair, wearing a baseball cap.

• Tuesday (4.29.08), 5:30 p.m., 800 block of Union Street: A black female was walking on Union between Carondelet and Baronne streets in the CBD when she was approached from behind by a black man who stuck an "unknown object" (presumably a gun) in the small of her back and demanded money. The victim complied and the robber fled on foot.

He was described as 5'7" tall, weighing 180 pounds, wearing a green collared shirt, blue jean shorts, and white tennis shoes.

• Tuesday (4.29.08), 10:40 p.m., 1400 block of Chartres Street: A white man was walking on Chartres in the Marigny Triangle toward Esplanade Avenue when eh was approached by 3 black men, one of whom pulled a handgun and demanded money. The victim complied and then ran away.

All the robbers were described as 20 to 30 years old, about 6' tall. The gunman's weight was guessed as 180 pounds, and he was said to have short dreadlocks and corn rows, and was wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

Pursesnatchings back in vogue: Are we ever free of them? But how to protect yourself against them is another thing. Consider the first one, in broad daylight, with people all around. And yet...

• Tuesday, (4.29.08), 12:25 p.m., 1300 block of Bourbon Street: A white woman walking on Bourbon between Barracks Street and Esplanade Avenue had her purse snatched by a white guy who hopped out of a white SUV, splitting her lip in the process, while her husband stood helplessly by. Others on that busy block, including an AT&T crew working in a manhole at the corner, were just as startled at the bravado of the bandit in broad daylight.

The robber was described as in his 20's, 5'11" tall, weighing 180 pounds, with short hair, wearing a white polo shirt and beige pants. The victim could not see the driver of the vehicle.

(Remember how Maj. Edwin Hosli and Chief Warren Riley lambasted NOcrimeline for not reporting crimes exactly as they submitted them to us? If we did that, we would have been guilty of numerous inaccuracies, such as the one in this report. Here's how it came from the 8th District: "...she was approached from behind by an unknown BLACK male...The subject is described as: WHITE male..." [capitals and boldface added by us for distinction]. Sloppy police work or knee-jerk reaction? We had local knowledge to determine which was which.)

• Saturday (4.26.08), 5:15 a.m., Carondelet and Girod streets: A white woman walking on Carondelet was approached from behind by a black man who demanded her purse. She complied and he fled on foot.

The robber was described as in his 40's, 6'1" tall, thin build, wearing all black clothing.

• Saturday (4.26.08), 3:50 a.m., Conti and Dauphine streets: A white man was punched by someone who then took cash from his pocket. The victim was unable to give any description of the perpetrator.

• Thursday (4.24.08), 12:30 p.m., 711 Canal St.: A white woman was standing inside McDonald's when a black man snatched her wallet from her hand and fled out the Royal Street exit and headed into the bowels of the Quarter.

The robber was described only by what he was wearing: a black T-shirt, blue jeans, and dirty white shoes.

Some arrested: 8th District officers hauled in a few bad guys, but gave little information on why:

• Sunday (4.27.08), 10:10 a.m.: Sgt. Mark Mumme, along with Officers Jack Buzali and Lawrence Hall, arrested Patrick Bell, 47, for theft from 332 Chartres St. No word what is located at that address or what the alleged thief supposedly stole.

• Sunday (4.27.08), 1:20 a.m.: Lt. Charles Little and Sgt. Patrick Baxter of the 8th District's "Bourbon Promendade" arrested James Fulford, 43, for pickpocketing near The Famous Door, 341 Bourbon St. No word on who the victim was, but best guess he's from out of town, since no local would be seen in the tourist-trap section of town at that hour.

• Friday (4.25.08), 3:45 p.m., Jackson Square: Police arrested Tyrone Gaygen, 52, and charged him with aggravated battery after he allegedly cut another homeless man on the hand with a box cutter after they got into a verbal altercation.

Go forth--and be careful out there...

* * *

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.com.

Thom Kahler