Shooter off the streets

It took 3 days, but: 8th District detectives arrested a 22-year-old black man on Thursday (6.19.08) for the shoot'em up in the 300 block of Dauphine Street near the Chateau LeMoyne Hotel 3 days earlier on Monday morning.

Jarrell Kendrick was charged with 2nd-degree attempted murder in the shooting with left a 31-year-old black man wounded. (If you try to look at the suspect's mugshot with the link above, all you're going to see is the picture Sheriff Gusman took of what looks like the contents of the guy's pockets. Maybe the sheriff needs a new camera--or we need a new sheriff.)

According to the police report, the victim was walking down the street at 3:39 a.m. when he heard someone shouting at him. He turned around and saw a black dude he knew only by his first name pointing a pistol at him. The gunman began firing and hit the victim in the left hip and thigh. The victim was taken to the hospital where he was listed in stable condition. The shooter fled in a silver-colored vehicle.

A resident in the vicinity said 5 to 6 shots were fired from a 9mm handgun, one of which pierced the tailgate of his pickup truck parked on the street and another bullet grazed the pickup parked in front of his.

The shooter is described as 6'1" tall, weighing 170 pounds, with a short haircut, wearing a light blue T-shirt and dark colored pants.

Vicious armed robbery: A 58-year-old man walking in the 500 block of Toulouse Street (between Decatur and Chartres streets) on Thursday (6.19.08) about 2 a.m. when he was robbed by 2 black dudes, each armed with a pistol.

According to the police report, one perpetrator got behind the victim and began to strike him with his pistol, knocking him to the ground. The other perp took a wallet from the victim's pocket. The robbers then fled on Chartres.

According to a friend of the victim, the robbers got only $7 from the victim's pockets but "then proceeded to kick and punch him while (he was) lying on the ground protecting himself."

But that was only the beginning of his ordeal. She said it took police 15 minutes or more to arrive at the scene and then "he was treated like crap by the local NOPD. They never called an ambulance for him as he bled profusely from the back of his head.

"When the police finally arrived they put him in the back of their police car without caring for him. He was in so much pain he could barely speak," she said, but "the police drove around with him making him help them look for the suspects."

After the police took him to the 8th District station, "one cop actually bitched at (the victim) for bleeding on the floor of the police station while giving his statement. They never bothered to clean him up or help him at all."

The police did finally transport him to Tulane University Hospital "where he was again ignored and treated like crap."

After he was released from the hospital around 4:30 a.m., he went back to the scene of the crime to search for his wallet. He found it in a trash can about a block from where his attack occurred.

Maj. Edwin Hosli, commander of the 8th District, said he is going to investigate these allegations.

Both robbers were described as 20 to 29 years of age, 5'8" to 5'9" tall, one weighing about 140 pounds wearing a black shirt, long dark-colored pants, and a black cap; the other 160 pounds wearing a yellow shirt and long dark-colored pant.

Other heists:

• Armed robbery, Sunday (6.22.08), 6:50 a.m., 1100 block of Bourbon Street (between Gov. Nicholls and Ursulines streets): A white man was approached by another white man who gestured with his hand in his jacket pocket, implying he had a weapon and demanded the victim's money. The victim complied and the robber fled on Gov. Nicholls toward N. Rampart Street.

The robber was described as in his 20s, 5'8" tall, weighing 140 pounds, with a crew cut and a tattoo of a flower on his neck, wearing a white T-shirt and green jacket.

• Simple robbery, Saturday (6.21.08), 9:50 a.m., St. Louis and Bourbon streets: A white man walking along was approached by a black man who grabbed cash from the victim's hand and fled on foot toward N. Rampart Street.

The robber was described as 5'4" tall, weighing 125 pounds, wearing a light blue shirt, blue jeans, and a light blue baseball cap.

Other happenings, to a point: The following information is from the Times-Picayune, but you can see from the gaps the NOPD is not putting out all the reports it has (look at the missing days) and the 8th District is not telling all it knows, either:

Armed robbery (NOT reported by the 8th District)

Thursday (6.19.08)

• 6:51 a.m., 1200 block of Bourbon Street
• 2 a.m., 500 block of Toulouse Street

Simple robbery (NOT reported by the 8th District)

Saturday (6.21.08)

• 9:54 a.m., 400 block of Bourbon Street

Saturday (6.14.08)

• 12:35 p.m., 500 block of Chartres Street
• 2:31 a.m., 500 block of Bourbon Street

Assault & Battery

Sunday (6.22.08)

• 9:32 a.m., 300 block of Royal Street
• 2:27 a.m., Bourbon and Toulouse streets
  

Saturday (6.21.08)

• 8:14 p.m., 200 block of Poydras Street

Thursday (6.19.08)

• 11:59 p.m., Chartres and St. Ann streets
• 11:43 p.m., Canal and N. Rampart streets
• 4:23 a.m., 1000 block of N. Peters Street

Tuesday (6.17.08)

• 10:20 p.m., 300 block of St. Joseph Street

Monday (6.16.08)

• 12:04 p.m., Bourbon and St. Louis streets

Saturday (6.14.08)

• 2:28 a.m., 900 block of Iberville Street

Friday (6.13.08)

• 11:20 a.m., 700 block of Royal Street
• 9:59 a.m., 600 block of Bourbon Street
• 8:43 a.m., 1600 block of Tulane Avenue

Theft

Tuesday (6.17.08)

• 11:08 p.m., 300 block of O'Keefe Avenue
• 8:52 p.m., 100 block of Royal Street

Monday (6.16.08)

• 2:38 p.m., 500 block of Tchoupitoulas Street
• 2:23 p.m., 900 block of Poydras Street
• 8:24 a.m., 1000 block of Elysian Fields Avenue
• 8:23 a.m., 300 block of St. Charles Avenue

Sunday (6.15.08)

• 5:47 p.m., 300 block of St. Charles Avenue

Saturday (6.14.08)

• 4:27 p.m., first block of Poydras Street
• 6:19 a.m., 600 block of St. Ann Street

Friday (6.13.08)

• 2:02 p.m., 400 block of Bourbon Street
• 11:20 a.m., 700 block of Royal Street
• 5:40 a.m., 400 block of Carondelet Street

Auto theft

Tuesday (6.17.08)

• 3:46 p.m., Decatur Street and Esplanade Avenue
• 12:10 p.m., Decatur and St. Louis streets

Monday (6.16.08)

• 9:30 p.m., Elysian Fields Avenue and N. Peters Street
• 9 p.m., 400 block of Toulouse Street
• 9:35 a.m., 1200 block of Dauphine Street
• 8:54 a.m., Bourbon and Gov. Nicholls streets

Saturday (6.14.08)

• 12:31 p.m., 300 block of St. Charles Avenue

Friday (6.13.08)

• 8:32 p.m., Gravier Street and O'Keefe Avenue

Car burglary

Monday (6.16.08)

• 11:20 a.m., 1600 block of Canal Street
• 7:50 a.m., 400 block of Andrew Higgins Boulevard

Sunday (6.15.08)

• 6:59 p.m., 700 block of Lafayette Street

Saturday (6.13.08)

• 11:48 p.m., 1300 Perdido Street

Residence burglary

Monday (6.16.08)

• 3:53 a.m., 900 block of Esplanade Avenue

Business burglary

Saturday (6.21.08)

• 2:18 a.m., 1000 block of Bienville Street

Friday (6.20.08)

• 6:48 a.m., 900 block of Poeyfarre Street

Monday (6.16.08)

• 7:37 p.m., 500 block of Toulouse Street

Oops: Last week in reporting the difference between 1st-degree and 2nd degree murder in the case of David Bonds we said it was the difference between life and death. True, but he was charged with "attempted" 2nd-degree murder, reduced from "attempted" 1st-degree. Both carry a penalty of 10 to 50 years in prison upon conviction. We corrected it on the website almost immediately after the error was pointed out by some lawyer friends, but most of you received the news via email, hence this explanation. Our apologies to those of you who wanted to see the young punk fry.

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

Thom Kahler

Bonds: What really happened

Or at least what we think happened: We reported Tuesday (6.17.08) that David Bonds might be out on the street again soon because it looked like the attempted murder charges against him had been dropped.

How else would you interpret Minute Clerk Otis Durel's notation "Charges disposed of" after Bonds' preliminary hearing Monday (6.16.08) before Magistrate Gerard Hansen?

And the subsequent erasure of the bond amount from the dockmaster yesterday afternoon and from the Criminal Sheriff's inmate booking information Wednesday (6.18.08) morning?

The old-time news media--TV and newspapers--made a big deal last night and this morning with stories that Bonds had been charged with attempted 2nd-degree murder. In truth, the DA actually dropped the attempted 1st-degree murder charge against him and agree to prosecute only the lesser charge.

The difference between them? Not much as "attempted"--both can earn him 10 to 50 years in Angola.

The case had been assigned to Judge Julian Parker in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court-Section G and his bond reset at $750,000. He is due for arraignment on 6.25.08.

Bonds, 19, is charged with allegedly shooting a 25-year-old white guy in the chest with a handgun at 5:35 a.m. on 5.4.08 at Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue which left the victim in critical condition.

A pair of eyewitnesses to the incident identified Bonds from photographs and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Famous as the kid who beat a murder rap in April in the shooting death of renown 9th Ward musician Dinerral Shavers, Bonds was apprehended 5.16.08 in Thibodaux by Lafourche Parish Sheriff's deputies after a manhunt resulted in a brief foot chase. He was returned to OPP on 5.20.08.

Stay tuned--let's see what really happens to him.

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

Thom Kahler

Bullets fly in the French Quarter

Shoot'em ups: Bullets flew in the 300 block of Dauphine Street near the Chateau LeMoyne Hotel early Monday (6.16.08) morning, leaving the intended victim wounded in the leg.

According to the police report, a black man, 31, was walking down the street at 3:39 a.m. when he heard someone shouting at him. He turned around and saw a black dude he knew only by his first name pointing a pistol at him. The gunman began firing and hit the victim in the left hip and thigh. The victim was taken to the hospital where he was listed in stable condition. His assailant fled in a silver-colored vehicle.

A neighbor in the vicinity said 5 to 6 shots were fired from a 9mm handgun, one of which pierced the tailgate of his pickup truck parked on the street and another bullet grazed the pickup parked in front of his.

The shooter is described as 6'1" tall, weighing 170 pounds, with a short haircut, wearing a light blue T-shirt and dark colored pants.

Long arm of the law: It took a little while, but 8th District cops finally arrested a suspect in a robbery that happened in January.

Shaffee Dawson, 25, was charged Sunday (6.16.08) for armed robbery on 1.16.08 at 7:30 p.m. in which a white man was walking up the steps at 2020 N. Rampart St. when he was accosted by a black guy with a pistol who took his money.

Dawson had been a fugitive after skipping out on a $25,000 bond and failing to show up for court last December on a charge of possession of crack cocaine. He was apprehended late last month and was sitting in OPP when 8th District detectives collared him.

He's now being held on $150,000 bond on the armed robbery charge.

Knifing: A Hispanic man was arrested Friday (6.13.08) after allegedly stabbing a white guy, 31, in the abdomen after an argument on the old A&P on Royal Street at St. Peter Street.

Luiz Ramirez, 38, 5'10" tall, weighing 220 pounds, was arrested around 3:15 p.m. after fleeing to Jackson Square after the incident. He was charged with aggravated battery and resisting an officer. He's being held in OPP on $55,000 bond.

Ramirez got into a little trouble in January and was charged with aggravated battery then too, as well as armed robbery. But in March--you guessed it--the DA refused to prosecute him.

An array of arrests: 8th District cops made a number of notable arrests in the past week:

• Anthony Spano, 37, was arrested last Wednesday (6.11.08) at 10:44 p.m. at Barracks and Dauphine streets by the drug-busting duo of Ofc. James Lipscomb and Ofc. Kelly Morel of the 8th District Taskforce on charges of carrying illegal drug paraphernalia (a glass pipe), possession of methamphetamine, and begging (which I guess means he won't be making the $6,000 bond).

• Tony Durden, 28, was arrested Friday (6.13.08) at 3:30 p.m. by Ofc. Jerry Stapler for simple arson at the corner of Cleveland Street and S. Claiborne Avenue, near the homeless encampment. It's not known if it had anything to do with the denizens there, but it was serious enough for him to be held on $50,000 bond.

• Eugene McGee, 17, was arrested Sunday (6.15.08) at 1:45 a.m. in the 500 block of Bourbon Street by Ofc. Valentino Grayman of the Bourbon Promenade on charges of carrying an illegal weapon and possession of stolen property.

• Cordell Thomas, 27, was arrested Sunday (6.15.08) at 1:45 a.m. in the 1000 block of St. Ann Street by Ofc. Channing Branch and Ofc. Willie Jenkins on charges of public drunkenness and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He's being held on $50,000 bond.
  

Another pursesnatching: A white woman was walking in the 700 block of Orleans Avenue (between Royal and Bourbon streets) toward Royal about 3:10 a.m. Monday (6.16.08) when a black guy came up behind her and grabbed her purse.

The robber was described at 6' tall, wearing a long-sleeved dress shirt and long blue jeans. Don't be fooled by sartorial excellence.

Car break-in suspects go free: When it happened in early April, we said you don't hear too often of suspects being arrested for breaking into cars. Well, you don't hear too often of the DA prosecuting them either.

Such is the case of 2 black men: Curtis C. Landon Jr., 20, (top) and Rasheed G. Williams, 23, (bottom). Each was charged with 2 counts of simple burglary after Ofc. Claud Daniel caught them at 12 a.m. 4.12.08 allegedly breaking into a car at 809 Iberville St. (between Bourbon and Dauphine streets).

In a slap in the face to the police work of Ofc. Daniel, District Attorney Keva Landrum-Johnson refused to prosecute them last Friday (6.13.08).

We will soon being doing a analysis of the cases KLJ--who wants to be a judge now--has failed to prosecute since she became DA. It's a pitiful rebuke of the efforts of NOPD officers to lock up the bad guys.

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

Thom Kahler

A couple of bad asses go down

Bad driver?: I dunno, maybe it was his driving that tipped off the cops. But Wednesday evening (6.11.08) at 10:44 p.m. at Decatur and Frenchmen streets (just off Esplanade Avenue) Kyle J. Anderson, a 22-year-old, 6'2" tall, 160-pound black dude, drew the attention of the 8th District Task Force's busy drug-busting duo, Ofc. James Lipscomb and Ofc. Kelly Morel. When all was said and done, Anderson had 12 charges against him.

From the brief redacted police report it's hard to tell whether whether Anderson was driving erratically, which led to the discovery of the drugs, or whether the cops noticed the drugs, which set off a wild police pursuit.

When they caught up with him, they charged him with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute after allegedly finding 9 packets of his merchandise on him, possession of a firearm while possessing drugs, possession of a stolen firearm, 2 counts of flight from a police officer, and assault on a police officer.

As for his driving, he was charged with reckless operation of a vehicle, 2 counts of failure to use a seat belt, failure to heed stop and yield signs, going the wrong way on a one-way street, and failure to use a turn signal (See, it is against the law!).

Anderson is being held in OPP with his bond set at only $17,000 on the criminal charges, plus another $3,500 for the traffic violations.

Let's hope that's enough to hold him. Earlier this year he was being held on a $1 million bond for second-degree murder before the DA decided to drop the charges in January.

NOPD homicide detectives charged Anderson last July with the shooting death of a 21-year-old man on 2.20.07 at 9:05 p.m. under the I-10 overpass in the 900 block of N. Claiborne Avenue (between Dumaine and St. Philip streets). The victim, who was armed with 2 handguns, was found with multiple gunshot wounds to the his head. He later died at the hospital.

Kind of makes you shudder to think who's running around our neighborhood, doesn't it?

Moving on up: A 21-year-old black dude--who should have been in prison after pleading guilty to possession of a stolen auto last year--has now been arrested for armed robbery.

Allen M. Jones, who was arrested Tuesday on a minor charge of obstructing a public place (sleeping in a doorway, or something like that?), triggered 8th District detectives to show his picture in a photo line-up to the victim in a robbery in the CBD on Sunday (6.8.08). In that case, a white man standing at the corner of Tchoupitoulas and Gravier streets at 1:55 a.m. was accosted by 3 black thugs, one of whom pulled a knife while the other 2 stole cash from the victim's pockets.

The victim positively identified Jones from the picture shown to him and Jones was charged with armed robbery. He is being held in OPP on $150,000 bond.

Jones was sentenced in March, 2007 to 3 years in prison after pleading guilty to possession of a stolen auto from a case dating to January, 2006. Even with credit for time served, its hard to tell why he was out already. But you know how those things go.

Then, oops, he did it again. But the DA didn't think so--she refused to prosecute him 4.29.08 after he was charged earlier in the month for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possession of a stolen auto. And this woman--Keva Landrum-Johnson--wants to be a judge? Spare us.

And more: Here's what we've gleaned recently from the Times-Picayune that hasn't appeared in the 8th District Updates:

Assault and Battery

6.4.08, 8:43 p.m., Decatur and Iberville streets
6.4.08, 2:56 a.m., 200 block of Bourbon Street

Rape

6.10.08, 1:59 p.m., first block of Canal Street

Burglary

6.4.08, 3:15 a.m., 600 block of Decatur Street

Theft

6.4.08, 3:48 p.m., 300 block of Julia Street
6.4.08, 6:36 a.m., 400 block of St. Charles Avenue
6.4.08, 1:53 a.m., 300 block of Bourbon Street

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

Thom Kahler

Some arrested, some let go

It's not just the kids: Plagued like we've been by young punks holding us up, 8th District csops arrested an old codger yesterday (6.10.08) morning. A white man was walking at the corner of Carondelet and Gravier streets at 12:40 a.m. when he was attacked from behind by a knife-wielding black man who demanded his wallet. The victim refused and struggled with his assailant who fled on foot.

A short while later, policed arrested James Brown Jr., 53, and charged him with armed robbery and aggravated battery. He's being held in OPP on $125,000 bond. He was convicted in 1998 as a 2-time loser and might being going away for a long time if convicted on these charges.

Young dudes this time: Police are searching for 2 young black dudes in their 20s who robbed a Hispanic man yesterday (6.10.08) morning at 4:30 a.m. as he was walking in the 800 block of Tchoupitoulas Street. One of the robbers held the victim at gunpoint while his accomplice extricated the victim's wallet from his pocket.

One of the robbers was described as 6' tall, weighing 180 pounds, with dreadlocks, wearing a white T-shirt, black jeans and a white cap. The other was 5'7" tall, weighing 145 pounds, with a short haircut.

Not too often, but: Bicycle thieves are caught every now and then. In a belated report, Officers Tracie Medus and Patrick Ohern on 5.26.08 at 1:35 p.m. arrested Shawn Cosse, a 27-year-old black man for trying to steal a bicycle at Bienville and Royal streets.

He was charged with attempted theft and simple criminal damage under $500. He's sitting in OPP, unable to post $3,500 bond.

And others go free: DA Keva Landrum-Johnson (she who wants to be a judge!) refused to prosecute the case against Gregory Hughes, a 35-year-old black dude, who was arrested 4.9.08 for robbing a white guy at gun-point on 3.2.08 at 11:25 p.m. in the notorious 500 block of Burgundy Street (between St. Louis and Toulouse streets).

He managed to post $100,000 bond and get out of OPP before KLJ freed him on 5.12.08, despite a positive identification by the victim. You sure you want this kind of woman as a judge? You've got to be crazy!

And another: KLJ also decided on 5.23.08 not to prosecute James Fulford, 44, for pickpocketing near The Famous Door on 4.27.08 at 1:20 a.m.

He had been arrested by Lt. Charles Little and Sgt. Patrick Baxter of the 8th District's "Bourbon Promenade" and charged with theft and possession of stolen property.

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

Thom Kahler

The big cover-up

Not a "quirk" at all: A number of days ago we said it was a quirk in the law that required the police to charge home invaders with "aggravated burglary" rather "armed robbery," but now we find that's not so.

What is so, according to Maj. Edwin Hosli, commander of the 8th District, is "that's how we're told to charge it." I'm presuming that comes from his bosses in the NOPD; if it was coming from the DA, she'd probably reduce it to something like "illegal use of a doorknob."

What difference does it make? To the bad guy, it's the difference between 1 to 30 years in Angola for "burglary" versus 10 to 99 years for "robbery." For the NOPD, it allows them to report the incident to the FBI as a more benign "property crime" by calling it a burglary; if they report it as a robbery it's classified a "violent crime." And "property crimes" pall in comparison to "violent crimes" when Big Chief Warren Riley tries to brag about crime figures. (Keep on eye on this site--we'll soon have an analysis there of the just-released FBI figures for 2007.)

A few years ago, there was a big brouhaha about crimes being downgraded in the 1st District, which made the commander there look like he'd really improved the crime rate there. When it came to light, then-Chief Eddie Compass fired the commander and his lieutenants (since reinstated).

A few weeks ago, a producer for CNN called me and asked if that's what was happening with the NOPD refusing to release reports to the public. At that time, I told her no, that we seemed to be getting accurate reports of all the crimes from Maj. Hosli. I wish she'd call again.

In the case that raised this issue, 5 black boys--armed with a gun--entered a house at 831 Touro St. and robbed 2 Hispanic workers there of their wallets. An arrest warrant for "aggravated burglary" rather than "armed robbery" was put out for one of the punks, but sloppy police work botched that.

Now we have 2 more "aggravated burglaries" reported by the 8th District as happening last Saturday (6.7.08). See if you think these should have been classified as something else instead:

• A Hispanic woman was returning to her room at 1630 Canal St. at 7:20 a.m. As she opened the door, a black man and black woman came up behind her and pushed her into her room. The 2 perpetrators took cash from the room and fled.

The man was described as 30 years old, 6' tall, weighing 150 pounds, wearing a red polo shirt and black shorts. The woman was described as 5"3" tall and weighing 180 pounds.

Ofc. Donald Nides, of the 8th District's Canal Street Squad, issued a warrant for Joy Armond, 27. She was arrested last December for armed robbery, but in February the DA (surprise, surprise) refused to prosecute her. (If the cops are really serious about catching these fugitives, why don't they put out a picture of them to the public? Any one of us might have seen her walking through the French Quarter.)

• 3 men were in a store at 635 Decatur St. that was closed for the night at 11:55 p.m. when a black dude burst in with a pistol and removed cash from the victims' pockets and fled.

The robber (or, according to the cops, "burglar") was described as 5'7" tall, weighing 160 pounds, with a dark complexion and gray beard, wearing a white chef's coat, black pants and black shoes.

Actual armed robberies: But there were some robberies the NOPD classified as such:

• Tuesday (6.3.08), 1:05 a.m., Canal and LaSalle streets: A black man walking on Canal was accosted by another black man who pulled a knife and demanded money. The victim complied and the robber fled toward the river.

The robber was described as in his 20s, 6' tall, weighing 180 pounds, with short twists in his hair, and wearing a black T-shirt and cut-off blue jeans.

• Friday (6.6.08), 4:49 a.m., Elysian Fields and St. Claude avenues: A black man sitting in his car was robbed by another black man who pulled a shotgun and demanded money. The victim complied and the robber ran across the street to a gold-colored car which sped away on St. Claude to St. Bernard Avenue.

The robber was described as wearing a red hat, red bandanna, and white T-shirt.

• Sunday (6.8.08), 1:55 a.m., Tchoupitoulas and Gravier streets: A white man standing on the corner was accosted by 3 black thugs, one of whom pulled a knife while the other 2 removed cash from victim's pockets.

One robber was described as 5'10" tall, thin build, with corn rows in his hair, light complexion, clean shaven, wearing a white T-shirt and black pants; another was described as 5'10" tall, thin build, with dreadlocks and a mustache, wearing a black shirt and black pants; the other was described as 6' tall, thin build, short haircut, wearing a white shirt and blue shorts.

Some arrests, or warrants for arrests, too:

• Patrick Porter and David Cobarruviaz, both black and 21, were arrested 6.2.08 at 4:48 a.m. by Officers Brandon Ludwig and Billy Tregle for breaking into a car at Decatur and Conti streets. the duo share a birthday on 12.18.86 but apparently don't share finances--Porter posted $5,000 bond to bail out of OPP before we could get his picture; Cobarruviaz is still there.
  

• Kendal Russ, a black punk, 17, 5'5" tall, weighing 120 pounds, is wanted for snatching the purse of a white woman at 5:09 a.m. on 5.25.08 in the 300 block of Bourbon Street.

• Michael Merrill, a black dude, 28, 5'10" tall, weighing 150 pounds, is wanted for punching a white man in the chest and taking his wallet on 5.26.08 at 4:15 p.m. at St. Ann and Dauphine streets.
  

The rest of the story: When Maj. Hosli began sending his redacted crime reports directly to citizens in late March, he was sending an email almost every day, including mostly violent crimes (but not burglaries). Now the reports have tapered off to, on average, only one report a week, which usually has little in it.

(It would be nice to assume that means crime has tapered off, but probably not. I would suspect he's being curtailed by Chief Riley again. Riley has managed to stifle his command staff more effectively than Archie ever did Edith.)

Here's what we've gleaned the past week from the Times-Picayune that hasn't appeared in the 8th District reports:

Assault and battery

• 5.30.08, 12:30 p.m., 1000 block of Ursulines Avenue
• 6.1.08, 5:40 a.m., Bourbon and Conti streets
• 6.1.08, 3:51 a.m., 100 block of Royal Street
• 6.2.08, 12:11 p.m., French Market Place
• 6.2.08, 10:40 a.m., 700 block of Canal Street
• 6.2.08, 6:00 a.m., 800 block of Bourbon Street
• 6.2.08, 3:16 a.m., Bourbon and St. Louis streets
• 6.2.08, 12:06 a.m., 400 block of Bourbon Street
• 6.3.08, 11:48 p.m., 800 block of Convention Center Boulevard
• 6.3.08, 11:00 p.m., 300 block of Bourbon Street

Burglary

• 6.2.08, 9:32 p.m., 1000 block of Annunciation Street

Theft

• 5.30.08, 9:19 p.m., first block of Canal Street
• 5.30.08, 2:17 p.m., 200 block of Poydras Street
• 5.30.08, 11:01 a.m., 800 block of Chartres Street
• 6.1.08, 3:55 p.m., 800 block of Iberville Street
• 6.1.08, 12:56 p.m., 100 block of Decatur Street
• 6.2.08, 6:08 p.m., 300 block of Camp Street
• 6.2.08, 5:34 p.m., 700 block of Iberville Street
• 6.2.08, 10:57 a.m., 200 block of St. Charles Avenue
• 6.2.08, 3:50 a.m., 300 block of Bourbon Street
• 6.2.08, 10:38 p.m., 500 block of Decatur Street
• 6.3.08, 6:48 p.m., 700 block of Bourbon Street
• 6.3.08, 5:15 p.m., 900 block of Convention Center Boulevard
• 6.3.08, 6:38 p.m., 900 block of Convention Center Boulevard
• 6.3.08, 1:54 p.m., 900 block of Iberville Street
  

Robbery (pickpocketing)

• 6.2.08, 11:55 a.m. 600 block of Bourbon Street
• 6.3.08, 12:11 a.m., 700 block of Bourbon Street
  

Riley reneges: As you can note from the above, the Times-Picayune is still running a week behind on publishing crime reports from the NOPD. Chief Riley agreed on 4.23.08 to begin providing the reports within 3 days, as required by law, to settle a suit brought by the Big City Daily. Now, from what I hear, he's saying he doesn't have enough manpower to do that job either. In truth, he has more officers per capita than New York City does.

NONPAC: The meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday (6.12.08) at the Maison Dupuy Hotel, 1001 Toulouse St. (at Burgundy Street), in the Renoir Room.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Getting away with murder

Attempted murder, actually: A young punk who was charged with 2 armed robberies a year ago in the 8th District beat an attempted murder rap last Wednesday (5.28.08) in Criminal District Court.

He, or his attorney, had the good sense to request a jury trial--and it's well known that a jury of peers in Orleans Parish rarely convicts a brother for his misdeeds. We have no details on the charge; he, of course, could be innocent. Yeah, right.

James Allen, 20, still must face a charge of armed robbery in the French Quarter in which the victim essentially apprehended him. A black dude with dreadlocks and wearing a blue bandanna over his face pushed a white man, walking near the corner of Chartres and Gov. Nicholls streets at 3:19 a.m. on 5.1.07, into a doorway and demanded money.

The victim gave him a dollar. The robber, apparently dismayed with the amount offered for his efforts, pulled a handgun. The victim, apparently offended by the escalated demand, fought with his assailant until the perpetrator freed himself and fled on Gov. Nicholls. The victim chased him while calling 911 on his cellphone. The victim and police caught up with him at Royal and Gov. Nicholls streets near Verti-Mart, where police arrested Allen.

Police also suspected Allen for a robbery a couple of days earlier on 4.29.07 at 4:26 a.m. in which a man fitting Allen's description--a prominent "10th Ward" tattoo under his left eye--got out of a black Chevy Monte Carlo as it pulled up to the victim's car at stop sign at Annunciation and Poeyfarre streets in the CBD and demanded the victim's money and jewelry.

The DA, however, refused to prosecute Allen on that charge last July.

They were only cops: A 21-year-old gun-toting woman from the country walked away free a couple of weeks ago despite originally being charged with aiming her firearm at a couple of cops in the French Quarter.

Calizza Coyne, of Folsom, was originally charged with 2 counts of attempted first-degree murder, 2 counts of illegal use of a weapon, and aggravated assault with a firearm upon a peace officer. By the time the DA got done, all charges against the would-be cop killer were dropped.

When police arrived in the 800 block of St. Louis Street near Bourbon Street at 6:08 a.m. on 2.16.08, they found Coyne shooting her gun in the air. As they approached, she took aim at them. When she refused to drop her gun, one of the officers fired his at her but missed. Had he been a better shot she would have been going to see Jesus instead of the DA.

Calizza's birthday is in a couple of weeks--let's hope she doesn't come to the French Quarter to celebrate.

Not really robbery, was it?: Back in the early morning hours of 3.26.08, at 4:05 a.m. to be exact, a 34-year-old white guy went with a woman to her room at 608 Iberville St. for purposes we can only imagine. Once there, her real boyfriend allegedly pulled a pistol and demanded the victim's cellphone and wallet, which contained $71.

The victim later identified Ricardo Rodriguez, 45, from a photo lineup and detectives charged Rodriguez with armed robbery with a firearm, possession of crack, possession of prohibited drug paraphernalia.

The moral of this story, as you might imagine, has to do with the fact the DA made the armed robbery charge go away, leaving only a minor drug charge.

Hey, copper: Catching a copper thief is probably not the easiest things for cops to do, but the police did manage to apprehend Billy Black, 38, for the alleged theft of copper in the 1000 block of Canal Street (by Burgundy Street/University Place). They charged him with theft over $500 and criminal trespass.

The DA knocked off the theft charge and Billy pled guilty today (6.3.08) to the trespass charge. Judge Terry Q. Alarcon gave him 30 days in jail with credit for time served. Considering he'd been in OPP since his arrest 3.28.08, he's long gone by now. Watch your downspouts!

White boys can't be convicted: We just heard about it today, but back on 4.23.08 the DA decided not to prosecute a white guy for possession of heroin--just like 2 other charges against him for possession of crack and cocaine that have been dropped in the last 2 years.

So much for the efforts of the 8th District Taskforce officers who arrested Joseph E. Booth, 41, at "Crack Corner" (Dauphine and St. Louis streets) on 4.2.08 at 9:23 p.m.

Hard to tell why he's getting all these breaks. Black dudes rarely do.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Crimes reported in May 2008

These are the crimes reported during May, 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

5.20.08, 900 Poeyfarre St.
5.20.08, Girod St. & Fulton St.
5.28.08, 1000 Conti St.

Simple robbery/pursesnatching

5.01.08, pickpocketing, St. Louis St. & Bourbon St.
5.03.08, pursesnatching, Bourbon St. & St. Ann St.
5.04.08, simple robbery, 300 Burgundy St.
5.05.08, simple robbery, 1000 N. Rampart St.
5.07.08, simple robbery, 1100 Bourbon St.
5.12.08, pickpocketing, 500 Decatur St.
5.15.08, simple robbery, 400 Bourbon St.
5.18.08, pickpocketing, 200 Bourbon St.
5.19.08, pickpocketing, Canal St.
5.22.08, pickpocketing, 400 Dauphine St.
5.22.08, pickpocketing, 500 Canal St.
5.24.08, pickpocketing, 800 Toulouse St.
5.25.08, pursesnatching, 300 Bourbon St.
5.26.08, simple robbery, 800 St. Ann St.
5.30.08, pickpocketing, Canal St.

Assault & battery

5.04.08, aggravated battery (shooting), 700 Canal St.
5.06.08, aggravated assault, 100 Bourbon St.
5.10.08, aggravated assault, 500 Bourbon St.
5.10.08, aggravated battery (shooting), 500 Bourbon St.
5.14.08, aggravated assault, 100 Bourbon St.
5.15.08, aggravated assault, St. Louis St. & Bourbon St.

Burglary

5.01.08, business, 500 St. Ann St.
5.01.08, residence, 1900 Dauphine St.
5.04.08, business, 400 Canal St.
5.05.08, business, 800 N. Rampart St.
5.05.08, business, Burgundy St. & St. Peter St.
5.08.08, 800 St. Charles Ave.
5.08.08, business, 1000 Tchoupitoulas St.
5.09.08, 500 Decatur St.
5.10.08, residence, 1000 Frenchmen St.
5.12.08, business, 900 Canal St.
5.13.08, residence, 900 Esplanade Ave.
5.15.08, residence, 900 Esplanade Ave.
5.17.08, aggravated burglary, 800 Touro St.
5.23.08, 1700 Burgundy St.
5.23.08, attempted residence, 2000 Dauphine St.
5.26.08, residence, 300 Camp St.
5.29.08, business, 1700 N. Rampart St.

Theft

5.01.08, 200 Bourbon St.
5.01.08, 900 Tchoupitoulas St.
5.01.08, 400 Bourbon St.
5.01.08, 700 Carondelet St.
5.01.08, 300 Decatur St.
5.01.08, 700 Canal St.
5.02.08, 200 Julia St.
5.02.08, 300 Royal St.
5.03.08, 100 Bourbon St.
5.03.08, 900 Canal St.
5.04.08, 500 Baronne St.
5.04.08, 1000 Canal St.
5.05.08, 900 St. Charles Ave.
5.05.08, 700 Loyola Ave.
5.05.08, 700 Orleans Ave.
5.05.08, 300 Poydras St.
5.05.08, 1200 Poydras St.
5.06.08, 100 Camp St.
5.07.08, 300 Dauphine St.
5.07.08, 700 Iberville St.
5.07.08, 500 Esplanade Ave.
5.08.08, 500 Bourbon St.
5.08.08, 800 Julia St.
5.08.08, 400 Barracks St.
5.10.08, 800 Bienville St.
5.10.08, 1400 Decatur St.
5.12.08, 800 Iberville St.
5.12.08, 1500 Tulane Ave.
5.13.08, 800 Iberville St.
5.13.08, 1000 Loyola Ave.
5.13.08, 1000 Orleans Ave.
5.13.08, 700 Canal St.
5.14.08, 100 Elk Pl.
5.15.08, 300 Chartres St.
5.16.08, 900 Canal St.
5.16.08, 900 Canal St.
5.16.08, 600 Royal St.
5.16.08, 1400 Chartres St.
5.17.08, 400 Bourbon St.
5.17.08, 700 Gravier St.
5.17.08, 100 S. Claiborne Ave.
5.17.08, 900 Burgundy St.
5.18.08, 100 St. Charles Ave.
5.18.08, 500 Bourbon St.
5.18.08, St. Charles Ave. & Common St.
5.19.08, St. Louis St. & Decatur St.
5.19.08, 1100 S. Peters St.
5.19.08, 1000 S. Peters St.
5.20.08, 700 Tchoupitoulas St.
5.20.08, 700 Tchoupitoulas St.
5.21.08, 1800 Burgundy St.
5.21.08, 900 Iberville St.
5.21.08, 300 St. Charles Ave.
5.21.08, Frenchmen St. & Burgundy St.
5.21.08, 400 N. Peters St.
5.22.08, 200 Carondelet St.
5.22.08, 500 Toulouse St.
5.23.08, 600 Poydras St.
5.23.08, 600 Decatur St.
5.23.08, 1000 Canal St.
5.24.08, 400 Dauphine St.
5.24.08, 1100 Decatur St.
5.25.08, 500 Chartres St.
5.25.08, Chartres St. & Conti St.
5.26.08, 400 Iberville St.
5.26.08, Bienville St. & Royal St.
5.27.08, 800 Decatur St.
5.28.08, 400 Bourbon St.
5.28.08, 100 Bourbon St.
5.28.08, Poydras St. & Loyola Ave.
5.28.08, 1000 Canal St.
5.29.08, 1000 Elysian Fields Ave.
5.30.08, 200 Poydras St.
5.30.08, 500 Decatur St.
5.30.08, 800 Chartres St.

Auto theft

5.01.08, Gravier St. & O'Keefe Ave.
5.01.08, Canal St.
5.01.08, Canal St.
5.01.08, 600 Chartres St.
5.02.08, Julia St. & Camp St.
5.02.08, St. Joseph St. & Constance St.
5.02.08, Poydras St.
5.02.08, 900 Bourbon St.
5.03.08, LaSalle St. & Poydras St.
5.04.08, 900 St. Philip St.
5.04.08, Pauger St. & Dauphine St.
5.04.08, 900 Touro St.
5.04.08, Dumaine St. & Burgundy St.
5.05.08, Loyola Ave. & Perdido St.
5.05.08, S. Rampart St. & Girod St.
5.06.08, 1100 Decatur St.
5.09.08, Conti St. & N. Peters St.
5.09.08, 100 Camp St.
5.09.08, 300 St. Joseph St.
5.10.08, Elk Pl. & Tulane Ave.
5.10.08, 900 Orleans St.
5.10.08, 200 N. Peters St.
5.13.08, 1500 Perdido St.
5.13.08, Poydras St.
5.14.08, Burgundy St. & Esplanade Ave.
5.15.08, Dauphine St. & Kerlerec St.
5.18.08, 900 St. Ann St.
5.18.08, Conti St. & Decatur St.
5.18.08, Common St. & University Pl.
5.18.08, Conti St. & Decatur St.
5.19.08, 800 Baronne St.
5.19.08, Julia St. & Loyola Ave.
5.19.08, 600 Royal St.
5.20.08, Baronne St. & Union St.
5.20.08, 600 St. Louis St.
5.20.08, 600 St. Louis St.
5.22.08, 400 Canal St.
5.25.08, Bourbon St. & Canal St.
5.25.08, 200 Magazine St.
5.25.08, 800 St. Joseph St.
5.26.08, 1400 Dauphine St.
5.28.08, 600 Tchoupitoulas St.
5.29.08, Girod St. & S. Rampart St.
5.30.08, 1400 Royal St.

Car break-ins

5.01.08, Gov. Nicholls St. & Royal St.
5.01.08, 1000 St. Philip St.
5.01.08, 100 University Pl.
5.02.08, 1000 Conti St.
5.02.08, 700 St. Philip St.
5.04.08, Basin St. & Canal St.
5.06.08, 1300 Royal St.
5.08.08, 1000 Conti St.
5.08.08, 1000 Conti St.
5.09.08, 800 Poydras St.
5.09.08, Camp St. & Poydras St.
5.13.08, 100 N. Rampart St.
5.14.08, Touro St. & Burgundy St.
5.18.08, 300 Loyola Ave.
5.19.08, Gravier St. & Baronne St.
5.19.08, Girod St. & S. Rampart St.
5.19.08, Elk Pl. & Canal St.
5.23.08, 700 Gravier St.
5.24.08, Chartres St. & Kerlerec St.
5.24.08, Magazine St. & Poydras St.
5.25.08, 900 Union St.
5.25.08, 300 Canal St.
5.26.08, Perdido St. & Penn St.
5.27.08, 800 Common St.
5.27.08, 800 Commerce St.
5.28.08, 1000 Poeyfarre St.
5.30.08, 600 Iberville St.

Of terrorists, chiefs, beefs

Terrorists in the French Quarter?: The FBI is being tight-lipped about why an anti-terrorism task force swooped down on the French Quarter on Wednesday morning.

According to one FBI agent, the task force raided "multiple locations...in furtherance of an ongoing criminal investigation." No word whether the locations were bars, dives, T-shirt shops, or private residences.

In a rather cryptic explanation of the operation, U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said, "It's not a matter that poses any danger to the public." It's always good to know that terrorism is nothing to worry about--for a minute there I thought they might be looking for weapons of mass destruction.

What was curious was the law enforcement agencies NOT in the task force. Included was the NOPD, the Harbor Police, the State Police, the IRS, the Secret Service, the Border Patrol, the U.S. Marshal's Service, and the Sheriff's Offices from St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. John and St. Charles parishes.

Excluded were the Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff's Office.

New chief: No, not that chief, but a new deputy chief to head the operations bureau, which controls all the patrol functions of all 8 NOPD districts.

Maj. Kirk Bouyelas, who inherited command of the 2nd District from Maj. Edwin Hosli when Hosli came to the 8th District in January, 2007, will take over Sunday (6.1.08) as the third in command of the NOPD.

Maj. Bouyelas, renown as a fantasy football fanatic, is reputed to be one of the most computer-savvy commanders in the NOPD. He pioneered an "email blast" to Uptown citizens about the time Maj. Hosli began helping launch NOcrimeline in the French Quarter.

It's not known yet whether Maj. Bouyelas in his new role will have any impact on getting better crime information to the public. Also not known is whether this forebodes a shake-up among district commanders, which often accompanies a regime change at headquarters.

Where's the beef?: Or more correctly, where's the result of the beef? The NOPD supposedly agreed last Friday (5.23.08) to begin releasing crime incident reports on a timely basis after the Times-Picayune sued for access to them.

The NOPD stipulated that the reports would first have to be reviewed by a shift supervisor before they are released. There is no word on whether the NOPD will continue to charge the public $25 for each incident report or if they will be available free. And there's no word on whether each individual district will be able to release the, as Maj. Hosli had been doing in the 8th, or if they'll only be available at some hard-to-access central location.

In the meantime, there's been no evident improvement in the T-P's publication of crime news, so perhaps the protocol for retrieving these reports hasn't been resolved yet.

Now for the news: Be that as it is. Finally on Tuesday (5.27.08) we got another update from the 8th District--the first since the previous Tuesday. It would be nice to know that so little is happening, but I'm not so sure: The 8th District reported only 3 incidents in the last 10 days.

Here's what the 8th District reported:

• Armed robbery, 1000 block of Conti Street, Wednesday (5.28.08), 6:20 a.m.: 2 white men, 43 and 45, were walking on Conti when they were approached from behind by 2 black men and a black woman. One of the perpetrators pulled a handgun and demanded the victims' wallets. The victims complied and the robbers fled on foot. The gunman was described as 35 to 40 years old, 5'9" tall, weighing 160 pounds, and wearing a striped shirt. Detectives, however, smell something fishy in the victims' stories and may throw this case back.
  

• Robbery, St. Ann and Dauphine streets, Monday (5.26.08), 4:15 p.m.: A white man was accosted by a black man who punched him in the chest and took his wallet. The thief took the cash out of the wallet and hopped into the passenger side of a burgundy 4-door sedan, which sped off in an undetermined direction. The robber was described as 20 to 25 years old, wearing a dark-colored shirt, green pants and white sneakers. There was no description of the driver of the getaway car.

• Pursesnatching, 300 Bourbon St., Sunday (5.25.08), 5:09 a.m.: A white female was arguing with 2 men when a black guy came up and grabbed her purse off her shoulder. The perpetrator, wearing a red hat, black shirt and pants, fled down Bienville Street toward N. Rampart Street.

Here's what the T-P reported but the 8th District didn't:

• Assault and battery:
• 500 block of Bourbon Street, Sunday (5.25.08), 4:31 a.m.
• 1000 block of Chartres Street, Saturday (5.24.08), 3:25 a.m.
• Julia and S. Peters streets, Saturday (5.24.08), 3:25 a.m.

• Theft:
• 400 block of Bourbon Street, Wednesday (5.28.08), 11:13 p.m.

Obviously, we do not know what's really going on in the French Quarter, Marigny Triangle and CBD if we rely on the "8th District Updates" which arrive spasmodically and don't come close to revealing all crimes in our neighborhoods. If you want to do your neighbors a favor, report any crimes you're aware of to NOcrimeline and we'll alert them--perhaps it will save them from becoming victims themselves.

False alarm: Detectives thought they had their man--actually a boy--in the "aggravated burglary" at 831 Touro St. on 5.17.08, but an arrest warrant initially issued Thursday (5.29.08) has been rescinded.

In that incident, 5 black boys entered the house about 4 p.m. where 2 Hispanic men were working and, armed with a handgun and hammer, demanded the men's wallets, which contained about $150.

Why wasn't this an armed robbery? Due to a quirk in the law, if the crooks come INSIDE your house and rob you, it's only "aggravated burglary", punishable by as little as a year in jail. If they rob you OUTSIDE, even on your porch, it's armed robbery, punishable by at least 10 years and up to 99 years in prison. Sounds like Rep. Cedric Richmond ought to stop screwing around with making the Sazerac the official state cocktail and worry more about creating some serious penalties for home invasions.

More drug arrests: We should have called Officers James Lipscomb and Kelly Morel of the 8th District Task Force a 2-OFFICER drug-wrecking crew last week since Ofc. Morel is female.

After making 9 drug arrests the week before, they made an additional 4 from 5.20.08-5.23.08, mostly for minor drug offenses:

• N. Peters Street and Elysian Fields Avenue, 5.20.08, 11:28 p.m., a black man, 21, and a white man, 29.
• N. Peters Street and Elysian Fields Avenue, 5.21.08, 10:45 p.m., a Hispanic man, 20.
• 400 block of Esplanade Avenue (between N. Peters Street and Decatur Street), 5.22.08, 12:30 a.m., a black man, 24.
• 1000 block of Bienville Street (between Burgundy and N. Rampart streets), 5.23.08, 1:25 a.m., a black man, 24.

Another drug arrest was made by Det. Bryan Mulvey, who arrested 2 black men, 25 and 27, in the 500 block of Bourbon Street (between St. Louis and Toulouse streets).

12-hour shifts start Sunday?: The word's not official, but coinciding with the arrival of a new deputy chief of operations there's been talk of once again expanding every cop's day from 8 hours to 12. We hear that doesn't sit well with many officers.

A high-ranking officer (not Maj. Hosli), in trying to dissuade the discontent, sheds some light on the imperious reign of Big Chief Warren Riley when he says, "The fact is, the Superintendent alone decides, often without the input of his command staff or even over their objections. I don't know which, if any, of the chiefs were polled for their input on 12-hour shifts, but the Superintendent doesn't always ask for or follow their advice."

Gee, Chief, you think if you drew on the expertise of your deputy chiefs and other ranking officers you might come up with some solutions to reducing crime just a little bit in the city?

Speaking of fighting crime: Do you have your video surveillance camera up and working on your house yet? QuarterSafe, which is working alongside the NOPD to build a reliable network of citizen-owned security cameras to deter and catch criminals, has a plan where you can get a camera for as little as $10.

According to Joshua Clark, who's spearheading the effort, says residents report ordering cameras but few have contacted QuarterSafe to network their systems with the NOPD. Go to www.QuarterSafe.com for complete information.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler