Back on the street again

Thanks, your honor: Apparently Judge Frank A. Marullo Jr. is confident that a suspected drug dealer is no threat to the public as long as he pees in a cup twice a week.

He let Howard Fleming, 27, who was being held on $57,500 bond, out of OPP last Thursday (7.24.08) on his own recognizance as long as he takes a drug test twice a week and is monitored by "intensive probation." Isn't that just swell of the judge, who faces no opposition in this fall's election?

When 8th District Task Force officers hauled Fleming in last May, they had a fight on their hands. Ofc. James Lipscomb and Ofc. Kelly Morel managed to subdue Fleming at Chartres Street and Elysian Fields Avenue 5.16.08 and charge him on 7 counts: 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.

By the time the DA (who's now going to be a judge too) was done, all that remained were the 2 drug dealing charges, and one count of resisting an officer, and 2 counts of simple assault. Nothing so bad that Judge Marullo couldn't give him a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card.

Down and out: Last year about this time, when the 8th District was plagued by 22 armed robberies in a month--15 of them in the Lower Quarter and Marigny Triangle--Lt. Eddie Selby unleashed a 12-man taskforce on the territory to change the tide.

On just the second night of this assault on crime, Detectives Donald Haynes, Jason Giroir and Joey Catalanotto spotted a black dude checking out cars parked along Chartres Street around 2 a.m. and ordered him to halt. The suspect, Vincent Beverly, allegedly tried to outdraw them by pulling a .40-caliber Glock from his waistband when he was corned by the officers near Gov. Nicholls Street. One of the cops was quicker on the trigger and shot Beverly once in the left side. While the shot was not fatal, Beverly, now 19, is expected to be paralyzed for life.

Last Friday (7.25.08), Beverly pled guilty to 2 reduced charges of 1 count of simple robbery and 1 count of aggravated assault with a firearm on a police officer. Judge Camille Buras (another judge who will be back on the bench for another term without opposition) gave him a 7-year suspended sentence, with the first 6 months served under house arrest and then 5 years of active probation--and, oh yeah, he has to get his GED and be drug tested for 12 weeks.

Beverly was originally charged with 2 counts of armed robbery, 1 of simple battery, and 1 of assault on a police officer. When his picture was shown in a photo lineup to victims in several of the robberies that prompted the intense patrols, the victims in 2 robberies were able to positively identify Beverly as the man who robbed them. The victim in a third robbery said he couldn't be sure it was Beverly.

He was charged in the robbery of 2 white men 7.23.07 at 1417 Royal St. and the robbery of a man 7.28.07 in the 1200 block of Bourbon Street. A man who was robbed in the 900 block of Esplanade Avenue on 7.26.07 was not able to positively ID the suspect.

Only one crime?: If you believe the 8th District NOPD, there was only ONE crime committed in the French Quarter and environs last week.

According to the "8th District Update" emailed Friday, a white couple were walking in the 900 block of Orleans Avenue toward Burgundy Street at about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday (7.23.08) when a black boy came up behind them with a handgun and demanded the woman's purse. She refused and began screaming, which sent the hoodlum fleeing.

A juvenile was apprehended a short while later and positively identified by the victims. The punk was only 16, so we won't know his name until he turns 17 and turns pro.

But come on, really only one crime in the whole Quarter, Marigny Triangle and CBD in a week that was worth reporting? Maybe the cops aren't as afraid as we are, but I'll bet there was a lot more going on that that. If you want to help keep your neighborhoods safe, please report to NOcrimeline@gmail.com any incidents you know of, whether it involves you or a neighbor. By alerting others, you may help prevent a crime.

Who needs crooks when we've got cops?: There's a story flying all over Nola.com about a deputy NOPD chief fleeing a woman's house in the middle of the night last week wearing only a bed sheet after her husband came home early and started firing a gun at him.

The woman was reportedly a current or retired officer assigned to the 8th District; her husband is either a cop also or works offshore, depending on the version you've heard. The incident happened in a house in the NOPD's 3rd District near Dillard University.

Supposedly 3rd District officers charged the irate husband for shooting at the deputy chief, but another deputy chief, Bruce Adams, who's in charge of the NOPD's Public Integrity Bureau, arrived on the scene with instructions along the line of "by direct order of the superintendent, let him go."

All of that paints a pretty wide swath of who might have been involved, but that's the danger of the NOPD not reporting the facts. While hardly anyone gets hung any more for adultery outside of the Middle East and some parts of rural Louisiana, it does speak to moral issues among the top brass of the NOPD.

Superintendent Warren Riley made a big deal last week in dismissing 2 officers for their public misdeeds. The difference is, those misdeeds were highly publicized by the media. This incident is apparently being swept under Riley's rug.

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

Thom Kahler

Robberies all around

And a bank robbery to boot: Just as we were publishing yesterday's NOcrimeline posting, we figured it must have been a quite weekend in the ol' Quarter, since we hadn't received an 8th District Update for days. Boy, were we wrong! When we finally got an update around 4:30 p.m. it was full of robberies that happened all over the French Quarter over the weekend -- and that the "Update" may have been delayed due to the bank robbery that happened just before noon.

In that robbery, a white man entered the CapitalOne Bank at Royal and Iberville streets at 11:50 a.m. and walked up to the teller and demanded "all the hundreds" or he would shoot her, according to various reports (the NOPD reported the wrong address for the bank; the Times-Picayune reports the incident happened at 1 p.m., the NOPD at 11:50 a.m.). The teller gave him the banded bait money that contained a red dye pack in a bag.

The robber fled on foot, running across Royal Street and into the Holiday Inn parking garage where the dye pack exploded, covering the robber with red dye. A citizen who saw the robber fleeing gave chase on foot across Canal Street, where cops caught up with the robber in the 500 block of Common Street.

Arrested was Steven Fickes, 47, 6' tall, weighing 200 pounds.

Armed robberies abound: No less than 4 armed robberies marred the tranquility of the Quarter and its fringes in the past week:

• Wednesday (7.16.08), 2 a.m.: A white woman was standing outside 1431 Royal St. (between Kerlerec Street and Esplanade Avenue) when a black man came up and asked for a cigarette. He then pulled out a pistol and demanded her money. She complied and he fled on foot.

The robber was described as 30 to 40 years old, 6' tall, weighing 170 pounds, withe short flat-top hair, wearing a purple button-down shirt over a black T-shirt.

(This incident wasn't reported to the police until 2 days later, wiping out all chances cops could have scoured the area for the perp. C'mon, people! If you don't take a crime like this seriously, why do you expect the police to?)

• Friday (7.18.08), 10:15 p.m.: A white couple walking on Bourbon Street were crossing Gov. Nicholls Street when a black thug armed with a shotgun came up and demanded their money. The robber hopped into a black Ford Mustang waiting on Bourbon, which fled down Barracks Street toward N. Rampart Street.

The robber was described as in his 20's, 6'1" tall, weighing 170 pounds, with medium twists in his hair, wearing a black tank top and dark shorts.

• Friday (7.18.08), 10:25 p.m.: A white couple crossing the street at Dauphine and Dumaine streets were robbed by a thief who first tried to grab the woman's purse, then pulled a pistol when she resisted. He got the purse and fled on foot.

The robber was described as in his 20's, 6'2" tall, weighing 170 pounds, medium dreadlocks or twists, cleanshaven, wearing a white T-shirt and plaid shorts.

• Sunday (7.20.08), 1:05 a.m.: Apparently police haven't broken up that gang that's been terrorizing the area after all. A white man walking in the 100 block of University Place, just across Canal Street, was approached from behind by 4 or 5 black hoodlums. One pulled a pistol and demanded the victim's money. When the victim attempted to flee, he was pushed to the ground by the other hoods and beaten while they took his wallet and cellphone.

The culprits were all described as 18 to 22 years old, one was 5'8" tall, weighing 160 pounds, with a short haircut, wearing a dark T-shirt and dark pants; 2 others were each 6'1" tall, weighing 170 pounds, with shoulder-length braids, wearing white T-shirts and dark pants.

Pursesnatchings too, of course: Just because they don't have a gun (or you don't see a gun), doesn't mean these robberies are any less terrifying:

• Saturday (7.19.08), 11: 30 p.m.: A white woman was walking on Bourbon Street hear St. Philip Street when a white guy came up behind her and grabbed her purse off her shoulder. He fled on St. Philip toward Royal Street.

The robber was described as 20 to 30 years old, 5'8" tall, weighing 170 pounds, wearing a white T-shirt, khaki pants, and a dark baseball cap.

• Sunday (7.20.08), 6:20 a.m.: A white woman walking with 2 girlfriends near the corner of Royal and Iberville streets was approached by a black dude who tried to chat her up. She ignored him and continued walking, but he followed them across Canal Street. When they reached the 100 block of St. Charles Avenue (just the other side of Canal), the thief ran up and grabbed her purse. He fled into a waiting silver-colored Pontiac Grand Am, which sped down Common Street toward S. Rampart Street.

The robber was described as 28 years old, with shoulder-length braids, and wearing a white T-shirt, denim shorts, and orange tennis shoes.

Here's a tip: Lady, the minute this scumbag took a step in the same direction you and your friends were going, you should have whipped out your cellphone and dialed 911. You're lucky all you lost was your purse.

Here come the judge: It looks like District Attorney Keva Landrum-Johnson will be Judge Johnson, whether we like it or not.

The guy who signed up at the last minute to run against her, Gary Bizal, wimped out yesterday, quitting the "race" by saying, "At this point, it wasn't the path I wanted to follow." What do you expect from a civil rights lawyer?

Maybe he was just a "stalking horse" designed to keep anyone else from challenging her.

We can only hope she's a better judge than she was DA. How could she not be?

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

Thom Kahler

What was the judge thinking?

Another softy: When Laurie A. White was elected judge earlier this year to replace Charles Elloie--who was practically the patron saint of criminals--we thought we were getting a tough, no-nonsense judge who would lock up the bad guys and keep them there. Apparently, we were sadly mistaken.

Judge White put an 18-year-old punk--who just 10 days earlier allegedly shot a young boy while out on bond--on 24-hour house arrest. Under terms of the deal, Jernell Madison will have to wear an ankle bracelet to make sure he doesn't leave home, unless he is working. (Work? What sort of work does he do? Oh, that's right, he's charged with armed robbery.) He'll also have to submit to a weekly drug test. Other than that, he can sit home and play Grand Theft Auto on his Gameboy or have his girlfriend in for a nice game of Parchessi. Ankle bracelets have been known to fail--keep an eye out for this guy in the French Quarter.

To their credit, the prosecutors representing the DA's office asked the judge to increase Madison's bond from the $75,000 he posted on 6.2.08 to get out of OPP where he'd been since being charged with an armed robbery with a firearm last October when he was only 17. A hearing on the bond increase request will be held 8.8.08.

Part of the reason for the leniency being shown Madison is the NOPD's wimping out in charging Madison after he allegedly shot a 16-year-old black boy in the lower back after a fight at Canal and N. Rampart streets at 2:55 a.m. on 7.6.08.

Instead of charging him with attempted murder, 8th District officers charged Madison with aggravated battery and a bond of only $75,000 was set. (A couple of months earlier in another shooting on Canal Street, police charged David Bonds with attempted 2nd-degree murder and he's being held on a $1-million bond.) Reducing the charge is apparently another attempt by Big Chief Riley to make the crime rate in New Orleans seem less than what it really is.

The story we get is that the victim was hanging on the corner with 2 black chicks and 2 black dudes, when the girls began fighting while the guys watched. Madison, for whatever reason, allegedly pulled out his pistol and shot the young boy. A buddy of Madison's, Jamal Thomas, 17, allegedly tried to hide the gun and he was charged with being an accessory to aggravated battery. He's out on $5,00 bond.

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

Thom Kahler

Cops and/or robbers

Bad joke: That used to be the joke they told when the cops were so crooked in Chicago that the kids were going out to play "cops and/or robbers," as if there was no difference. But if it hadn't been for all the NOPD cops who've made headlines in the past couple of weeks, there'd hardly be any crime news at all.

We had the 1st District cop who sped away from his Crescent City Connection counterparts because he was late for work, then allegedly smacked one of them.

Now there's the 7th District chick cop who pulled her gun around a playground full of kids because she was in an uproar about being stuck in traffic at a school.

Then there's the 1st District supervisor who answered the 911 call to see what the ruckus was about, and wound up telling her she should have shot the citizen who complained.

Oh, and don't forget the incident that got the most press--the cop who wore the "wrong" color of shirt on his last day on the force. Now there's a hanging crime.

Dribs and drabs: Meanwhile, there's only been a trickle of crime news from the 8th District. Here's ALL they say happened in the last week (believe it if you will; I don't):

• Aggravated assault, Saturday (7.12.08), 1:20 p.m.: A white guy was parking his car at St. Peter and Bourbon streets when he got into an argument with another driver, who got out of his car and pointed a handgun at the victim. He then got back in his car, a black Jaguar XJ8, and fled on St. Peter toward N. Rampart Street.

The assailant was described as a white male, 35, 6' tall, weighing 170 pounds, with medium length brown hair, wearing a black and white striped polo shirt and tan shorts. (Way to go--giving rich people a bad name!)

• Aggravated assault/attempted armed robbery, Monday (7.14.08), 7:10 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.: These 2 incidents may well be related because they occurred within minutes of each other in the CBD and both involved a small white car.

In the first, a black woman was driving on Tulane Avenue toward S. Clairborne Avenue when she stopped at a red light at LaSalle Street, a white Toyota Corolla, containing 2 black men and 3 black females, pulled up next to her. One of the black men pointed a shotgun at the victim and then fled toward N. Carrolton Avenue. The victim pursued the car to try to get a license number, but was unsuccessful.

The gunman was described as 17 to 18 years old, with a slim build and a dark complexion.

In the other incident, a white man driving on S. Rampart Street stopped for a red light at Gravier Street when "a small, older model white car," driven by a black woman, pulled along side of him. 4 black men got out of the car and pulled a gun, demanding the victim's money. The victim fled the scene without yielding his money.

The gunman was described as 17 years old, 5'5" tall, with a thin build and medium complexion, wearing a green and white striped shirt.

• Pursesnatching, Monday (7.14.08), 3:45 a.m.: A white woman was in the Clover Grill, 900 Bourbon St., when she felt someone grab her purse and saw a black man run from the establishment. 2 citizens grabbed the alleged robber and held him until police arrived.

Arrested was Wayne Jones, 48, who was charged with pursesnatching, possession of stolen property--and running out on his $13.25 check at the Clover Grill (it's a wonder they didn't bitch-slap him all over the place for that).

• Aggravated battery, Thursday (7.17.08), 12 a.m.: In what's probably the last crime in the homeless encampment before it was finally dismantled yesterday.

A fellow known only as "Slim" and another black fellow got into an argument over money, of all things. Slim leveraged his side of the debate with a blow to the victim's head with an axe handle. The police would like to provide temporary housing for Slim in OPP if they find the 5'9" tall, 170 pound dude last seen wearing a white tank top, white shorts, and slippers.

Easier to get out?: The 19-year-old, who along with his 14-year-old cousin, is accused of terrorizing the French Quarter last Spring, has been given an easier chance of getting out of OPP.

Judge Frank Marullo Jr., who is running without opposition for another term on the Orleans Parish Criminal Court bench, last Friday (7.11.08) reduced the bond on Renaldo Nickles Jr. from $400,000 to $100,000 on 4 counts of armed robbery. True, it has to be in cash or a surety bond, but it's surprising how many of these thugs can raise the amount.

Nickles, who is charged with a total of 5 robberies, and his cousin were accused of armed robberies on Bienville Street near Burgundy Street 4.3.08 at 3:57 a.m.; in the 900 block of St. Phililp Street 4.8.08 at 2:05 a.m.; in the 900 block of Chartres Street 4.11.08 at 12:05 a.m. and in the 1100 block of Bourbon Street at 12:25 a.m.; in the 900 block of Ursulines Street 4.12.08 at 12:10 a.m.

Back in OPP again: Jerome J. Dominick, 24, who's been playing cat-and-mouse with the judicial system for some time, is back in the pokey again.

He was rearrested 10 days ago (7.8.08)--2 months after walking out of court on 5.8.08 when he decided he didn't like what he was hearing in court on a burglary charge against him and got up and left the courtroom. He had been out of jail, free on his own recognizance, thanks to Judge Julian Parker.

Police caught up with him after he was apparently involved in an altercation in which he allegedly cut someone. He was charged with aggravated battery, then police found reason to charge him with breaking into a car, and with theft--and, oh yeah, escape. Now he's got a $50,000 bond on his head--maybe too much for even a judge to cut him free out of the goodness of his heart.

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

Thom Kahler

Fugitive caught

Bowden bagged: The NOPD early this morning arrested another one of the gangsters wanted in a series of robberies by a gang of black boys in the French Quarter in the past 2 weeks.

After eluding the police for a week, officers took Marshan Bowden, 17, into custody and booked him into OPP just before 8 a.m. on a charge of simple robbery.

Bowden, who has successfully escaped justice in the past, is being held on a rather paltry $15,000 bond. (When they had him last fall, it was on $40,000 bond, but he managed to post that to walk free.)

Bowden was charged for robbing a young white guy last Tuesday (7.8.08) in which he was allegedly one of 5 black thugs who chased down the victim and took his wallet at 10:55 p.m. in the 1100 block of Dauphine Street near Ursulines Street.

The victim picked Bowden out of a photo line up and positively identified him as one of his assailants. Bowden is 6' tall and weighs 160 pounds. His last known address was on Frenchmen Street, across St. Claude Avenue. It's not known if he was armed when apprehended today, but police had arrested him 6.15.08 for carrying a concealed weapon. He was out on bond in that case when the latest alleged offense occurred.

Last Friday (7.11.08), 8th District cops arrested Nolan Graps, 24, on 2 charges from at least 2 of the gang robberies.

He is charged with attempted 2nd-degree murder in the shooting of a white guy who was trying to protect his woman from a gang of 3 black thugs in front of 540 Royal Street. The couple was accosted around 2:10 a.m. on 7.1.08 and when the man pushed his girlfriend to safety, one of the robbers opened fired and he was hit in the leg by a bullet.

He is also charged with armed robbery for the assault 7.7.08 in the 1100 block of Royal Street on a 40-year-old white woman walking home from work at 12:10 a.m. She was robbed of her backpack by 3 black hoodlums, one of whom shoved a gun in her face and threatened to kill her, while the other held her head down with his foot. Graps is being held in OPP on $300,000 bond on both charges.

Bowden is a familiar player in the street gang scene. He was arrested by 8th District detectives last fall as the ringleader of a gang of 5 or 6 young black boys, as young as 11 years old, who were terrorizing the Marigny Triangle. The DA refused to prosecute him on charges of 1st-degree robbery and simple robbery, setting him free to strike again.

Still at large are at least 3 other gang members who roamed the Quarter with Bowden and Graps. Each of the perps have been described as 17 to 19 years old, one was listed as 5'10" tall, weighing 185 pounds; the other 4 were all listed as 6' tall, weighing 170 pounds. Some or all of them are believed to be involved in at least 4 robberies occurring since 6.28.08 in the Quarter in which 3 to 5 hoodlums robbed at least 6 white people.

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

Thom Kahler

Gangbusters!

WANTED!: 8th District cops arrested one of the gangsters who's been terrorizing the French Quarter in the past 2 weeks, but is hunting for another one of the thugs--one they've arrested before and the DA let loose.

Wanted is Marshan Bowden, 17. If that name sounds familiar, it should. He was arrested by 8th District detectives last fall as the ringleader of a gang of 5 or 6 young black boys--and I mean young: as young as 11 years old--who were pillaging the Marigny Triangle.

But you know the drill by now: Before the New Year dawned, the DA had refused to prosecute him on charges of 1st-degree robbery and simple robbery.

Now Bowden is specifically wanted on simple robbery charges for robbing a young white guy last Tuesday (7.8.08). Bowden was allegedly one of 5 black thugs who chased down a young white guy and took his wallet at 10:55 p.m. in the 1100 block of Dauphine Street near Ursulines Street in the French Quarter.

Each of the 5 perps in that case was said to be 17 to 19 years old, one was listed as 5'10" tall, weighing 185 pounds; the other 4 were all listed as 6' tall, weighing 170 pounds.

Some or all of them are believed to be involved in at least 4 robberies occurring since 6.28.08 in the Quarter in which 3 to 5 hoodlums robbed at least 6 white people.

The victim picked Bowden out of a photo line up and positively identified him as one of his assailants. Bowden is 6' tall and weighs 160 pounds. His last known address was on Frenchmen Street, across St. Claude Avenue. He should probably be considered armed and dangerous, particularly since he was arrested 6.15.08 for carrying a concealed weapon. Naturally, the court let him back out on the street with a bond of only $5,000.

If you see this scumbag, call Crimestoppers at 822-1111 and you might collect a reward.

Behind bars: 8th District cops have locked up Nolan Graps, 24, on 2 charges from at least 2 of the robberies by gangs in the last 2 weeks.

He is charged with attempted 2nd-degree murder (Good. 'Nuff of that "aggravated battery" crap!) in the shooting of a white guy who was trying to protect his woman from a gang of 3 black thugs in front of 540 Royal Street (at Toulouse Street). The couple were accosted around 2:10 a.m. on 7.1.08 and when the man pushed his girlfriend to safety, one of the robbers opened fired and he was hit in the leg by a bullet.

He is also charged with armed robbery for the assault Monday (7.7.08) in the 1100 block of Royal Street on a 40-year-old white woman walking home from work at 12:10 a.m. She was robbed of her backpack by 3 black hoodlums, one of whom shoved a gun in her face while the other held her head down with his foot.

Graps is being held in OPP on $300,000 bond on both charges. It is not known if he's any relation to Tony Graps, 21, who was charged 6.25.08 for a brutal robbery 6.19.08 in the 500 block of Toulouse Street, not far from where Nolan Graps allegedly shot his victim.

Dent in car break-ins?: 8th District cops arrested 2 teenagers and a juvenile (of course, the little darling's name can't be used) last Sunday (7.6.08) for 10 car break-ins in the CBD on Saturday (7.5.08) and Sunday.

Search warrants executed against the trio led the NOPD to suspect the 3 in other auto burglaries in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd police districts.

Arrested were:

• Donnell Robinson, 19, for 9 counts of auto burglary, 10 counts of possession of stolen property, and 2 counts of simple burglary.

• Shelton D. Conerly Jr., 18, for 11 counts of simple burglary and 10 counts of possession of stolen goods. (Conerly was arrested 3 weeks ago for illegally carrying a weapon, but Magistrate Harry Cantrell let him go on his own recognizance. Just a few days before that, the DA refused to prosecute him for possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance near a school.)
  

Each is being held in OPP on $52,500 bond a piece.

Another burglar freed: 8th District Ofc. Claud Daniel arrested Michael Bourgeois, 33, for allegedly breaking into 525 Conti St. at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday (7.9.08) and charged him with simple burglary.

But being a white guy, Criminal Court Judge Frank Jr. released Bourgeois this morning on his own recognizance, so Bourgeois didn't have to post the $25,000 bond set on him.

Girls, girls: If you saw two chicks scuffling in front of the Club Ritz, 201 Chartres St., just after midnight last Thursday (7.10.08) it was only a couple of hookers having a "professional" discussion.

But Shontrese Miller, a 18-year-old black gal, apparently disagreed with her white counterpart and knocked her to the ground, then allegedly hit her several times with a beer bottle (hey, isn't she too young to drink?). Police have an arrest warrant out for Miller, a convicted prostitute.

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

Thom Kahler

Gangs roving, robbing the Quarter

Out in force: No, not the cops. The bad guys are now roaming the French Quarter in gangs of 3 or more to rob citizens at all times of day and night. It used to be a lone gunman, or sometimes a duo, would rob residents walking down the street. But now they're ganging up. You'd think the cops might notice a gang of thugs prowling the Quarter and stop them to see what they're up to--but who knows what, if anything, they're doing to stymie this latest crime wave.

• Monday morning (7.7.08) at 12:10 a.m., a white woman, 40, walking to her home in the Marigny Triangle from front desk job at a French Quarter hotel was in the 1100 block of Royal Street (between Ursulines and Gov. Nicholls streets) when she was robbed by 3 black hoodlums.

In her account to NOcrimeline, she said they "came around the corner of Gov. Nicholls and charged me, threw me to the ground and ripped the backpack off my back with a gun shoved against my face and another guy holding his foot on my cheek and jaw."

As the thugs were walking away, "I sat up and looked in their direction. He looked back and said, "Lay down and look the other way or I'll have to shoot you in the face!"

The one robber was armed with a small snub-nosed chrome revolver. They all fled on foot up Ursulines toward N. Rampart Street.

She gave high praise to the 2 patrol officers and detective who responded almost immediately and were "very professional, helpful and did everything they could."

But the cops' description of the robbers was very cookie cutter: All 3 perps were said to be 18 to 25 years old, 6' tall, weighing 195 pounds; only the clothing description varied.

The victim's description was much more specific: All were in their early 20's, ranged in height from 5'11" tall to 6'2" tall. One was light skinned and the other 2 darker; none had facial hair. One had hair almost to his shoulders in dreadlocks, the other shorter hair in dreadlocks, and the third's hair was very short, almost twists. None had visible tattoos, all were very fit looking and had athletic builds. One was wearing boots, a long black T-shirt, knee-length dark colored shorts, not cut-offs; 2 were wearing long white T-shirts and long denim shorts. That's one of the best descriptions from a victim I've read in a long time.

• Tuesday night (7.8.08), about an hour earlier, at 10:55 p.m., a young white guy walking in the 1100 block of Dauphine Street (between Ursulines and Gov. Nicholls streets) when he was accosted by 5 black hoodlums.

According to a resident sitting on his balcony at Dauphine and Ursulines, he saw the victim running down the street being chased by the gang until "they caught up with him and threw him on the ground." When the resident yelled "Stop--I'm calling the police" as loud as he could, the thugs fled toward Esplanade Avenue, but not before relieving the victim of his wallet.

Again, the cops had a cookie-cutter description of the perps: Each of the 5 was said to be 17 to 19 years old, one was listed as 5'10" tall, weighing 185 pounds, but the other 4 were all listed as 6' tall, weighing 170 pounds. Gives a whole new meaning to "They all look alike."

What makes the incident worse, is that the citizen who bothered to call 911 swears the emergency operator hung up on him. "The operator had to have heard that I was being threatened if I did not hang up the phone," he said. "Naturally, I though she would immediately call back. She did not; I called later and was told 'that is not our policy.' "

He said he never did see the police show up at the scene and none spoke to him about what he saw.

That makes at least 4 robberies reported perpetrated a gang of 3 or more black thugs in the last 2 weeks.

On 6.28.08, a white couple was robbed by 3 black gangsters in the 500 block of Toulouse Street (near Chartres Street) at 4:15 a.m. The robbers in that case were described as 17 to 24 years old, 2 of them 5'11" tall, weighing 130 pounds, and the other 5'8" tall, weighing 120 pounds.

Then 2 days later on 7.1.08, a gang of 3 thugs assaulted a white couple, bumping very roughly into the woman, at Royal and Toulouse streets about 2 a.m. When the woman's companion tried to shield her from the ruffians, one of them pulled a gun and shot the man in the leg. One culprit was described as 6' tall, weighing 160 pounds, sporting dreadlocks; the other 2 were said to be 5'9" tall, weighing 150 pounds.

What would I do if I saw a pack of blacks walking toward me? I'd call 911 and tell them I spotted the gang responsible for the robberies in the Quarter. Let the police sort it out. Better safe than sorry.

Lone robber: A white woman was robbed of her purse in broad daylight on Monday (7.7.08) at 4:15 p.m. She was at the corner of St. Ann and Chartres streets when a black guy came up asked for directions to Canal Street. When she turned to point toward Canal, the crook grabbed her purse from her shoulder and fled on foot up St. Ann toward N. Rampart Street.

He was described as in his 20's, 6' tall, weighing 180 pounds, wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt.

DA sets more suspects free: Maybe District Attorney Keva Landrum-Johnson is just clearing her desk of cases so she won't be bothered while she campaigns for judge, but she's cutting them loose at a record rate.

Remember the guy who dodged the bullet--literally-- when a NOcrimeline subscriber turned the tables on him last April and then would up also getting arrested for attempted armed robbery of a store in the Quarter? It looks like he's dodged another bullet: The DA a few weeks ago dropped the armed robbery charges against Bruce Jones, 26, in the attempt on the Compac convenience store at Dauphine and St. Louis streets on 3.24.08.

He's still got to go to court next week on a charge of aggravated assault for the episode on 4.8.08 in the 500 block of Burgundy Street when he started to pull a gun on a guy who had reached his "I'm-mad-as-hell-and-I'm-not-going-to-take-it-anymore!" moment after having been robbed in the same area a week before. He pulled out his own .38-caliber revolver with a laser site and popped off 4 rounds at Jones. Jones fled and was not hit by any of the shots, but he wound up cowering in the gutter, begging for his life.

For now, he's out on $3,000 bond. A charge of carrying a concealed weapon against him in this case, has already been dropped; let's see what happens next.

A Jones for this, a Jones for that: Then there's another Jones, Rodney Jones. This Jones, who turned 43 yesterday, went to court today and got a belated birthday present from the DA: the charge of simple robbery against him had been dropped. Jones had been arrested 5.8.08 for allegedly robbing a white man in the 1100 block of Bourbon Street.

Car break-in? No problem: The DA must have never had her car broken into to know what aggravation it is--and how difficult for the cops to catch someone. But 8th District cops thought they'd caught a car burglar when they nabbed Floyd Tyuse, 25, on 5.8.08 for breaking into a car at Burgundy and Conti streets. He was held in OPP under $30,000 bond for simple burglary and criminal damage (you know, like when they bust your car window out).

That is, until today when the DA dropped both charges. Now he's free to roam the Quarter again, just as he was when the DA dropped an armed robbery charge against him only a month before his brush with the law over the car. Wonder how long it will take this time for him to get in trouble again?

Where's the outrage: My God, people! When are you going to say "enough is enough" and demand a new mayor, a new police chief, a new district attorney, and new judges? Candidates are signing up through Friday for DA and criminal court judge--make sure there are candidates there we can elect who will do the job. We have to wait 2 more years to get a new mayor, but he could give us a new police chief if he wanted to improve his approval rating, which lags around Dubya's.

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

Thom Kahler

What else is the NOPD hiding?

What's missing: The 8th District finally sent out an "update" to report the first crime the first of the month. But there's no mention of the rape we heard about in a parking garage in the first block of Canal Street. Nor the kidnapping in the Quarter we read a tidbit about in the Times-Picayune. Nor this shooting on Canal Street during Essence Fest:

According to the T-P: A 16-year-old black boy (we assume, considering who he was hanging with) was shot in the lower back after a fight at Canal and N. Rampart streets at 2:55 a.m. (where's the enforcement of the curfew law? The NOPD's falling down again!) on Sunday morning (7.6.08).

The victim was with 2 black chicks and 2 black dudes, when the girls began fighting while the guys watched. Apparently the excitement became too much for Jernell Madison, 18, (top) who allegedly pulled out his pistol and shot the young boy. When police arrived on the scene, his buddy, Jamal Thomas, 17, (bottom) tried to hide the handgun at the scene. Madison was charged with aggravated battery and Thomas was charged with being an accessory to aggravated battery. What ever happened to attempted murder, like they charged David Bonds with?

It's the first adult offense for Thomas, who just turned 17 in May. But Madison got a similar early start on adult crime just after turning 17 last year. In September he was charged with aggravated assault--but on the first day the new DA was in office, she dropped the charges against him. Then 2 weeks later he was arrested for armed robbery with a firearm. He just got out of OPP on $75,000 bond last month (6.2.08) and is supposed to be back in court next week (7.16.08) when his trial resumes.

So, folks, we continue to have armed and dangerous hoodlums running the streets of the French Quarter at all hours--immune to the lackadaisical tactics of the NOPD and the indifference of the DA and courts. Continue reading below.

And this: An armed robbery on Dumaine Street yesterday morning wasn't reported by the 8th District, but was reported by a NOcrimeline subscriber.

In that incident Sunday (7.6.08) around 6 a.m., the subscriber reported her neighbor, in his 60's, was robbed in front of 729 Dumaine St. by a lone gunman while on his way to get a newspaper from in front of Clover Grill at Bourbon Street.

The victim was taken to University Hospital with facial and head lacerations from being beaten after the robber held a gun to his head while taking his wallet. The robber fled on foot down Dumaine toward Royal Street.

The neighbor said the victim "is really shaken because the guy kept saying that he would kill him."

Maj. Edwin Hosli, commander of the 8th District, says they have no report of a robber on Dumaine on Sunday, although the subscriber did tell us the police responded to the incident.

What's included: The 8th District is cranking up its reports again as Ofc. Brian Shubert, who writes them, is back on the job today after vacation. Here are the only serious crimes the 8th District reported happening over the weekend, even with Essence Fest going on:

• Simple robbery: Thursday (7.3.08), 4:47 a.m., 900 block of St. Charles Street: An Hispanic man (no age or residence reported) was walking along when he was jumped from behind by 2 black guys who pushed him to the ground and took his wallet from his pocket.

One robber was described as 25, 5'9" tall, weighing 150 pounds, and the other as 30, 6'2" tall, weighing 260 pounds; both were wearing all black clothing.

• Simple robbery: Saturday (7.5.08), 9:08 p.m., 739 Canal St.: A black man who went to a hotel room in the Astor Crown Plaza Hotel at the corner of Bourbon Street with a strange black woman was accosted by 3 black dudes as he left the room. They demanded money and the victim gave $400 to them. A short time later, police reported arresting the 3 men:

• Prince Richardson, 32, (top) charged with simple robbery and simple battery, held on $30,000 bond;

• Marquis Storey, 23, (bottom) also charged with simple robbery and simple battery, held on $30,000 bond.

• The NOPD also reported arresting another suspect, named Thaddeus Richardson, 23, but his name does not appear in any court or inmate records.

• Aggravated assault: Saturday (7.5.08), 5:50 a.m.: A white guy was walking to his vehicle at Bourbon and Orleans streets when a white car pulled along side of him. The passenger got of the car and began yelling at the victim and then pointed a pistol at him. The victim walked to his car and drove away. The assailant got back in his car and it followed the victim until the victim flagged down a cop car.

Police arrested Roger Hernandez, 22, and charged him with aggravated assault. Magistrate Rudy Gorrell slapped him with a puny $2,500 bond and then released him on his own recognizance. After all, all the suspect did was allegedly pull a gun on a guy. So Hernandez was long gone from OPP before we heard about it and could show you his picture. Now he walks amongst us and should be considered armed and dangerous.

Even when they catch them: The DA turned loose a guy 8th District officers had arrested as being a felon in possession of a firearm. Cordell Thomas, 27, easily fit the description as a result of a criminal record going back to when he was 18 and became old enough to get drugged up and steal. He was arrested on the latest charge on 6.15.08 at 1:45 a.m. in the 1000 block of St. Ann Street and it was serious enough to hold him on a $50,000 bond, but by the end of the week the DA set him free, negating the work of Ofc. Channing Branch and Ofc. Willie Jenkins in arresting him. Now this guy's out there walking amongst us too--probably armed, and maybe dangerous.

Free ride: It's hard to catch a bicycle thief, but Ofc. Tracie Medus and Ofc. Patrick Ohern did on 5.26.08 when they busted Shawn Cosse, 27, for trying to get a free ride at Bienville and Royal streets. Cosse was charged with attempted theft and simple criminal damage. He pled guilty last Wednesday (7.2.08) to attempted theft after the DA dropped the damage charge. Criminal District Court Judge Ben Willard gave him a suspended 6-month sentence. What? Because he didn't actually get away with the bike it's nothing to fret over? Cosse did spend almost 6 weeks in OPP and now will be turned over to Jefferson Parish on several warrants.

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

Thom Kahler

Getting away with murder

Will he get away with it?: Murder charges have been quietly dropped against the suspect in New Orleans' first homicide since Katrina.

Cleveland Moore, 41, who had been the subject of a manhunt since the fall of 2005 was finally captured almost 2 years later in Florida and returned to New Orleans. But 2 months ago--with no fanfare or outrage--District Attorney Keva Landrum-Johnson dropped the 1st-degree murder charges against him on 5.3.08.

Moore is suspected in the in the brutal beating of beloved French Quarter icon, Jon Newlin, 56, and was suspected in the stabbing death of Newlin's neighbor, Joyce Rader, at Newlin's home in the 700 block of Marigny Street on 11.14.05.

Moore, best described delicately as a "friend" of Newlin's who occasionally stayed with the literary light at his home in the Faubourg Marigny, disappeared after the crime.

According to the story we get, Moore allegedly beat Newlin in the kitchen of his home with an unknown object until the poet passed out. Then when Rader, a neighbor of Newlin's, came to investigate the commotion, she was stabbed or slashed by Newlin's assailant.

Initially, an arrest warrant for Moore charged him only with aggravated battery in the assault on Newlin. Because Newlin had been rendered unconscious, he told police he had not witnessed the attack on Rader and so no murder charges were filed.

Eventually, NOPD Homicide Det. Erbin Bush developed enough evidence to issue a warrant for Moore on murder charges on 10.19.07. A week later, Moore was located in Tallahassee, Florida and arrested there by sheriff's deputies. He was extradited to Louisiana and booked into OPP in January and was being held with no bond on charges of 1st-degree murder and aggravated 2nd-degree battery.

Now charged with only aggravated battery, Moore could bail out of OPP with a $250,000 cash bond set by Judge Ben Willard. He is not scheduled in court again until 7.31.08.

Newlin, who clerked at a bookstore on Chartres Street in the French Quarter, had a legion of fans. Said one, "Everyone in the Quarter loved to shop at Librarie Bookstore just to listen to him talk about books--I think he has read everything ever written and remembers it all even now!"

Now if he could just remember what happened on that tragic Monday it might help put away his assailant for good, rather than the mere 15 years he faces if convicted.

The other way would be for the Orleans Parish DA to learn to try cases on circumstantial evidence. Like in California, where you can bet Scott Peterson wishes he could have faced Louisiana prosecutors instead. Or more specifically the Orleans Parish prosecutor.

The only thing to be said good about her: The DA, Keva Landrum-Johnson, doesn't seem to be prejudiced. She frees white suspects too.

Last Saturday (6.28.08) she refused to prosecute Ronald G. Tice, 37, on a charge of aggravated assault.

In broad daylight at 11 a.m. on 3.31.08 at the corner of Conti and Burgundy streets, Tice got into an argument with a black guy and allegedly tried to stab the man with a small knife. Police caught up with Tice a couple of blocks away and arrested him at Conti and Basin Street.

When they do go to trial: A suspect charged with 2 armed robberies in the 8th District and a slew of other offenses--including attempted murder--managed to elude the most serious charges and get only a 10-year sentence for aggravated battery.

James Allen, 20, (for whom the sheriff couldn't manage to get a picture) was sentenced on 6.25.08 after a jury convicted him of the charge while finding him not guilty of attempted murder in a case we have no details on.

We know the DA dismissed a charge of armed robbery with a firearm for a robbery at Annunciation and Poeyfarre streets on 4.29.07. But we can't figure out what happened with charges against him of robbing a man at Gov. Nicholls and Chartres streets at 3:19 a.m. on 5.1.07.

He is due in court again 8.25.08 on a "multiple bill" to try to get him put away for a long time as a career criminal.

Will they ever nab him?: An arrest warrant has been issued for a guy who robbed an Hispanic man at a Canal Street eatery, a guy who has eluded police and fought like a ferret when cornered.

According to 8th District detectives, Thomas Anderson, 26, grabbed the wallet out of the hand of a Hispanic who was eating in the Au Bon Gourmet Deli, at Canal and S. Rampart streets, on 6.25.08.

The victim identified Anderson from a photo line-up they showed him (why don't they show us so we can help catch the guy?). Anderson is described at 5'6" tall, weighing 150 pounds.

In 2007, he was charged again with battery on a police officer and resisting an officer. He posted a $3,000 bond and never bothered to show up for his court date 11.14.07.

In 2003, Anderson was charged with battery on a police officer and attempted escape in connection with his arrest on burglary and other charges. (The DA let him go on all the charges.)

But the real coup was earlier in 2003, when Anderson--or someone said to be him--pled guilty 8.20.03 to possession of a stolen auto and was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

Then Anderson--or someone said to be him--showed up in court and was fingerprinted, which, according to the court docket, "determined that this not the right defendant that plead guilty; someone else used this defendant's name and date of birth."

So Anderson was set free. (Now that's having a real friend in a time of need!)

Now Anderson, whatever he looks like, is out there, walking amongst us, avoiding the cops. (Damn! Wish we had a picture!)

You read it here first: We told you last week (6.25.08) that the judge had increased the bond on David Bonds, 19, the suspect in an attempted murder on Canal Street from $750,000 to $1 million. The Big City Daily never got around to making a big deal of it until a whole week later--on 7.2.08. I thought they were supposed to be the newspaper?

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

Thom Kahler