Royal treatment

Unlucky number--1300: For the second time in 3 days, there's been a robbery in the 1300 block of Royal Street (between Barracks Street and Esplanade Avenue).

Early yesterday morning (10.10.08), 2 women, both 24, and a man, 27, were held up at gunpoint at about 12:01 a.m. by a man who hopped out of a car. He got away with their 2 purses and a wallet.

That information comes courtesy of the Times-Picayune. The 8th District didn't send out a report and won't have details until Monday morning.

Hardly comforting news to residents of the French Quarter who'll be walking around for 4 days not knowing there's another dangerous street to avoid.

We do know an arrest warrant has been issued for a black man, Taurus Legendre, 26. But, of course, we don't know what he looks like because no picture was released--does that mean we should just fear all black men we encounter in the Quarter?

On Wednesday (10.8.08), 5 black boys on bicycles tried to hold up a woman walking in he same block at about 6:28 p.m. When the woman realized their weapon was only a cigarette lighter shaped like a gun, she fled. The police managed to arrest 3 of the young thugs, 13,14, and 15 years of age.

That, of course, means there are 2 more young punks still out there--as dangerous as the ones apprehended.

Bleeder's attacker arrested: Police arrested Keith Sandridge, 39, on Thursday (10.9.08) and charged him with aggravated 2nd-degree battery for allegedly stabbing a man in the arm 9.24.08 at Chartres and Barracks streets.

The victim who wandered around the Lower Quarter after the 4 a.m. assault, leaving a meandering trail of blood, was finally located by police at Bourbon and Barracks streets.

Sandridge, 6'1" tall, weighing 210 pounds, allegedly fled on a bicycle with a white bucket on the front. He is being held in OPP on $25,000 bond.

Shooter goes free: Just because you're involved in a gangland-type shooting doesn't mean you're going to have to face the music in court.

Jarrell Kendrick, 22, who was charged with attempted 2nd-degree murder for a shoot'em up in the 300 block of Dauphine Street in June will not be prosecuted by the DA who couldn't produce a key witness.

Kendrick was arrested 6.19.08 for a shooting 3 days earlier in the early morning hours near the Chateau LeMoyne Hotel in which he allegedly pumped off 5 or 6 shots from a 9mm handgun, leaving a 31-year-old black man severely wounded.

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.

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

Thom Kahler

Crime, day and night

Teen gangs terrorizing again: Just when you thought last year's reign of terror by teen gangs was over, young punks have taken to the streets again.

Yesterday (10.8.08) a white woman walking in the 1300 block of Royal Street (between Barracks Street and Esplanade Avenue) in broad daylight at 6:28 p.m. when she was accosted by 5 black boys on bicycles.

One of them pulled what appeared to be a gun and demanded money. When the victim realized the weapon was only a cigarette lighter shaped like a gun, she took off running.

Within minutes, the police managed to round up 3 of the punks and arrest them. But because they are juveniles--aged 13, 14, and 15 years old--police cannot release their names. Wouldn't want to damage their tender, young psyches.

Frito Bandito?: You'd have to be fairly old to remember that character from the Fritos ads, but a modern-day one may be on the prowl.

Seems the same burglar has hit Tomatillo's, a Mexican restaurant at 437 Esplanade Ave. (corner of Decatur Street), at least 4 times in the past couple of weeks.

The thief first struck 9.25.08, then 4 days later on 9.29.08, each time carting off several bottles of liquor and beer. the next night (9.30.08), he took a bicycle. Then he returned the very next night (10.1.08) and took more liquor and beer, plus another bicycle.

The restaurant manager, Shannon Solomon, said the thief even showed up once while people were still in the restaurant. How does she know what he looks like? She has surveillance video of him in action (picture above). Sounds like you need to go the extra step in crime prevention, Shannon--say a 12-gauge shotgun. And better locks for the doors?

(The 8th District NOPD didn't bother to put out a report about this--confirming they're not telling us anywhere near all that is happening in our neighborhood. Be careful of what you don't know.)

That late night trouble again: 3 victims learned the hard way that the French Quarter is no place to be in the early morning hours this past weekend:

• Aggravated assault, Saturday (10.4.08), 2:20 a.m.: A black man standing on the corner of Bourbon and St. Louis streets was approached by another black man who got into a verbal altercation with him. The verbal assailant left, but returned a short time later with a pistol and pointed it at the victim and then ran away.

Police arrested Torray Thomas, 24, 5'7" tall, weighing 130 pounds, and charged him with aggravated assault. He is being held in OPP on $20,000 bond.

• Pursesnatching, Saturday (10.4.08), 4:40 a.m.: A white woman was standing at the corner of Burgundy and Conti streets when a black man rode up on a bicycle and grabbed her purse.

Described as wearing a black T-shirt, denim shorts and black sneakers, the robber rode up Conti toward N. Rampart Street.

• Pursesnatching, Sunday (10.5.08), 3:40 a.m.: A white woman was standing inside Razzoo Club & Patio, 511 Bourbon St., when a black man came up and grabbed her purse.

Police arrested Emery Thompson, 51, 5'7" tall, weighing 145 pounds, and charged him with pursesnatching, public drunkedness, and parole violation. He is being held in OPP on $22,500 bond.

Broad daylight no better: A white woman walking in the 1000 block of St. Philip Street (between Burgundy and N. Rampart streets) on Tuesday (10.7.08) about 6 p.m. was pushed to the ground by a black thug who demanded her money. When she complied, he fled toward N. Rampart.

She described him as in his 30's, 5'10" tall, weighing 170 pounds, with short hair, unshaven, and wearing a T-shirt with a skull on it.

Bleeder's assailant: The victim who spewed prodigious amounts of his blood over a vast area of the Lower French Quarter after being stabbed in the arm a couple of weeks ago has managed to pick his assailant out of a photographic line-up.

Police said at the time that the victim "does not remember the events immediately before the attack" when they found him at Barracks and Bourbon streets, then determined he actually had been stabbed at Barracks and Chartres streets at about 4 a.m. on 9.24.08.

He did tell the cops he had been stabbed by a black guy who fled on a bicycle with a white bucket on the front.

The police have issued an arrest warrant for Keith Sandridge, 39, 6'1" tall, weighing 210 pounds. (If the NOPD would just supply a picture, residents of the community just might be able to help them apprehend him.)

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

Thom Kahler

Scales of justice gyrating

Going away for a long time: It was one crime too many for Oneil Carter. The 21-year-old man from Harvey is going away for 25 years as a "multiple offender" (read "career criminal").

Criminal District Court Judge Frank A. Marullo Jr. sentenced Carter last Friday (10.3.08) to 25 years "without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension."

Carter was convicted in August of the robbery more than a year before of Aimee Stuit, 37, and Justin Dragonas at Touro and Royal streets in the Marigny Triangle.

Carter's buddy, Eric Gentris, 19, was found guilty in December of the robbery and was sentenced to 7 years in prison, even though he was the gunman. But he made a deal with the DA to testify against Carter, who was the getaway driver.

Apparently, though, Judge Marullo considered Carter a bad influence on this younger accomplice. In sentencing Carter he order that Carter "must never be placed in the same facility" as Gentris.

What netted Carter the career criminal tag is that he was on parole from Jefferson Parish for an armed robbery there in 2004 when he was 17.

Slap on the wrist: Bruce A. Jones, 26--the guy who almost got blown away by his would-be victim last April--finally got his day in court last Thursday (10.2.08) after police once again apprehended him 9.25.08 after he skipped court.

I don't know why he went to the trouble of forfeiting his $3,000 bond--after pleading guilty to aggravated assault he got 2 months of house arrest.

Jones was due to stand trial on the charge 9.11.08 but failed to show up at Tulane and Broad. He was arrested 4.8.08 after he allegedly accosted a guy in the 500 block of Burgundy Street at 12:30 a.m. According to the victim, Jones "reached under his shirt and started to point a very large gun at me."

The victim who had just been robbed the week before at Burgundy and Bienville streets, pulled out his Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver and fired 4 shots at the other gunman, missing him each time.

Jones fled and the victim chased him down. When police arrived, Jones was laying face down in the gutter and begging the victim not to shoot him. Police originally also charged Jones with carrying a concealed weapon, but the DA dropped that charge.

Robberies, what robberies?: Just 5 hours after allegedly holding up The Nail Space at 2024 St. Claude Ave. on 8.5.08, Steven Atlow, 38, was arrested by 8th District detectives and charged with 3 counts of armed robbery.

But--you guessed it--on Monday (10.6.08) the DA dropped all the charges, despite the victims positively identifying Atlow from a photographic line-up the detectives showed them.

According to the police report, the proprietors of the nail shop, a black man and woman, were closing the business about 6:30 p.m. when 2 black dudes knocked on the door. The victims let them in and the perpetrators pulled handguns. One of the perps took the money from the open cash register drawer and the robbers fled on foot.

In the photographic line-up detectives showed them, the victims positively identified Atlow, 5'4" tall, weighing 135 pounds, as the robber. By 11:45 p.m., the detectives had picked up Atlow. So why did the DA cut him loose?

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

Thom Kahler

Silence of the lamb?

Victim not talking: A violent incident over the weekend caused enough of a stir to prompt inquiries from NOcrimeline readers, but the victim wants to forget about it.

One woman said a severely beaten man, stumbled toward Harry's Corner and collapsed unconscious in the 600 block of Dumaine Street (between Chartres and Royal streets) Saturday night between 8 and 9 p.m. while the bar patrons were watching the LSU game. A tourist came into the bar and asked if anyone knew the man "...bleeding to death on the corner."

They found the man bleeding profusely from his mouth with a gash on the back of his head. The linings of his pockets were turned out and he was clutching his ID in his hand as he laid on the sidewalk.

The woman recognized the victim from the neighborhood and said she believed his name was "Scott" and that he was a Tulane Hospital anesthesiologist who had moved recently from Barracks Street to the Warehouse District.

There was no police report on the incident, but Maj. Edwin Hosli, commander of the 8th District, dispatched detectives to the hospital where the victim had been taken by ambulance.

Maj. Hosli personally spoke with the man this morning (10.1.08). He gave Hosli details of what happened, and said he had not been robbed. He told Hosli he cannot identify any of his assailants and does not want to file a police report. Hosli told the man if he changes his mind to call him and gave him his cellphone number.

The NOPD, which is often criticized for not reporting all the crimes in the French Quarter, certainly can't be criticized in this case. I'd say Maj. Hosli bent over backward to accommodate the victim.

The victim, however, by refusing to file a report and tell his neighbors about what happened--no mater how unpleasant--leaves all of us as potential victims to what's lurking out there.

Bar robber convicted: A 19-year-old boy, who was suspected in a string of armed robberies of bars in the Lower Quarter and Marigny Triangle around Christmas time last year, was convicted yesterday (9.30.08) by a jury on one count of armed robbery with a firearm.

Terrell Anderson will be sentenced on 11.12.08 by Criminal District Court Judge Camille Buras.

After Anderson was arrested for a robbery Uptown the day after Christmas, 8th District detective Jason Giroir noted the similarity in the description of Anderson with the ones given by victims in the robbery of John Paul's Bar, The John, and Cosimo's.

Anderson has a criminal record going back to when he was 17, with arrests for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and then for possession with intent to distribute heroin. In both cases, formed DA Eddie Jordan failed to bring charges against the punk, giving him time to hone his skills as an armed robber.

Kicking it down a notch: When 8th District detectives busted Anthony Fields on 7.12.07, they had enough to charge him with 3 counts of armed robbery, 2 counts of robbery with a firearm, and one count each of felon with a firearm and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

By the time he pled guilty last Thursday (9.25.08), his attorney had weaseled all those charges down to just 2: simple robbery and carrying a concealed weapon.

Criminal District Court Judge Camille Buras gave him 4 years in prison for the robbery and 6 months for the weapon, to run concurrent with the 4 years and with credit for time served.

Considering he's already been in jail for almost 15 months, those other 33 months will seem like nothing and we'll soon see Anderson on the street again.

Anderson, 22, was suspected in a string of armed robberies, but was suspected in a string of armed robberies, specifically these:

• 1424 Royal St. (on the Marigny side of Esplanade Avenue) on 7.12.07 at 12:55 a.m.: A trio of 24-year-old white men where walking along Royal when a black man came up behind them and stuck a black semi-automatic pistol in their backs. He ordered them to put their hands upagainst the wall as he removed their wallets from their pants' pockets. He then ordered the victims to lay on the ground as he fled up Esplanade toward the river.
  

• Burgundy and Barracks streets on 6.29.07 at 2:33 a.m.: Two 24-year-old white guys were walking down Burgundy toward Esplanade Avenue when they were robbed by 2 black guys with revolvers.

The DA had shots at Fields twice before but let him slip though the cracks until he became a full-fledged felon. In 2003, the DA refused to prosecute Fields for possession of a stolen auto. Then after Fields was arrested in 2005 for simple robbery and his case dragged through the court for 2 years, he decided not to prosecute Fields.

Violence be damned: Louis A Gordon, who was charged with a particularly vicious robbery on Bourbon Street last year, is walking the streets again after getting his case reduced to practically nothing.

Gordon, 20, is the guy who was charged after he clobbered his victim while robbing him in the 100 block of Bourbon Street on 6.22.07 and putting the victim in a coma. Initially charged with 2nd-degree battery and 2nd-degree robbery, the battery charge was refused by the DA.

But when the case got to court a week ago (9.23.08), the robbery charge was bargained down to the original battery charge and Gordon pled guilty.

Judge Frank A. Marullo Jr. sentenced him to 3 years in prison but suspended the sentence, put him on 5 years probation and ordered Gordon to pay victim restitution of $5,000, with no less than $200 paid every month, plus $55 probation supervision fee. Sounds to me like Gordon will have to resort to crime just to pay those fees.

Gunman goes free: The DA has refused to prosecute Eugene McGee, 17, who was arrested 6.15.08 at 1:45 a.m. in the 500 block of Bourbon Street by Ofc. Valentino Grayman of the Bourbon Street Promenade on charges of carrying an illegal weapon and possession of stolen property.

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

Thom Kahler

Crime maps available again

After being out of operation for over 4 months, the NOPD's crime maps are available again. How accurate or up to date they are is another matter. But we've been able to compile the crimes reported in the 8th District from the map, the locations, and dates for the following months:

June 2008

July 2008

August 2008

September 2008

The NOPD crime maps currently lag behind incidents by about 3 weeks.

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

Thom Kahler

Crimes reported: September 2008

This is a revised list of the crimes reported during September, 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 now the time the crimes occurred. (Originally, the NOPD reported only 92 crimes for 2008 versus the 187 in 2007. The NOPD eventually revised the number for 2008 up by 27 to 119.)

Armed robbery
9/09/08, 1:27 p.m., 200 S. Robertson St., gun
9/14/08, 1:35 a.m., 400 Bourbon St.
9/15/08, 4:50 a.m., Iberville St. & Bourbon St., gun
9/16/08, 7:10 a.m., 1000 Chartres St., carjacking
9/21/08, 4:45 a.m., Royal St. & Frenchmen St., attempted, gun
9/28/08, 5:00 a.m., 700 Common St., gun

Simple robbery
9/12/08, 2:30 a.m., Bourbon St. & St. Ann St., pickpocketing
9/13/08, 2:00 a.m., 400 Bourbon St., pickpocketing
9/14/08, 2:33 a.m., 900 Dauphine St.
9/26/08, 5:40 a.m., 500 Bourbon St., pickpocketing
9/27/08, 5:02 a.m., 300 Royal St.
9/28/08, 11:00 p.m., 800 Common St.
9/28/08, 1:30 p.m., 1500 Poydras St., pickpocketing
9/28/08, 2:20 p.m., Magazine St. & Girod St., pursesnatching

Assault & battery
9/07/08, 4:00 p.m., Poydras St. & O'Keefe Ave., aggravated assault
9/07/08, 1:16 a.m., 500 Conti St., aggravated battery (cutting)
9/09/08, 6:15 a.m., Howard Ave. & S. Rampart St., aggravated assault
9/09/08, 6:40 p.m., 900 Conti St., aggravated assault
9/14/08, 6:20 p.m., St. Louis St. & Bourbon St., aggravated battery
9/20/08, 8:45 p.m., 1100 Canal St., aggravated battery (cutting)
9/21/08, 2:36 a.m., 300 Poydras St., aggravated assault
9/24/08, 4:00 a.m., Chartres St. & Barracks St., aggravated battery (cutting)
9/28/08, 5:02 a.m., Iberville St. & Burgundy St., attempted murder

Burglary
9/01/08, 3:41 a.m., 1000 Bienville St., business
9/09/08, 5:30 p.m., 400 Dauphine St., residence
9/10/08, 6:00 p.m., 1400 Chartres St., residence
9/15/08, 10:00 p.m., 1000 Magazine St., business
9/25/08, 1:00 a.m., 400 Esplanade Ave., business
9/29/08, 5:19 a.m., 400 Esplanade Ave., business
9/29/08, 4:00 a.m., 1300 Decatur St., business

Theft
9/04/08, 11:00 a.m., 2000 N. Rampart St.
9/04/08, 12:00 p.m., 700 Commerce St.
9/05/08, 10:15 a.m., 600 Gravier St.
9/05/08, 5:00 a.m., 100 Carondelet St.
9/06/08, 2:20 a.m., 300 Dauphine St.
9/06/08, 2:00 p.m., 1000 Loyola Ave.
9/07/08, 3:53 p.m., 300 Canal St., shoplifting
9/08/08, 12:45 p.m., 600 Bourbon St.
9/08/08, 4:25 p.m., 1100 Decatur St., shoplifting
9/08/08, 4:45 p.m., 300 Canal St., shoplifting
9/09/08, 1:00 a.m., 800 Julia St.
9/09/08, 1:19 p.m., 200 Royal St.
9/10/08, 12:30 a.m., 1300 Poydras St.
9/10/08, 11:41 a.m., 100 Royal St., shoplifting
9/10/08, 2:30 p.m., 700 Royal St., shoplifting
9/12/08, 2:30 a.m., 300 Poydras St.
9/13/08, 4:40 p.m., 100 Bourbon St., shoplifting
9/13/08, 7:30 p.m., 400 Bourbon St., shoplifting
9/14/08, 2:00 a.m., 400 Bourbon St.
9/14/08, 3:00 a.m., 300 St. Charles St.
9/14/08, 3:00 p.m., 200 Camp St.
9/14/08, 12:15 a.m., 800 Toulouse St.
9/17/08, 4:30 a.m., 700 Howard Ave.
9/18/08, 10:15 a.m., Constance St. & Poeyfarre St.
9/18/08, 10:58 a.m., 2000 N. Rampart St.
9/18/08, 2:00 a.m., 700 St. Peter St., bicycle
9/21/08, 5:06 a.m., 300 O'Keefe Ave.
9/22/08, 4:30 p.m., 800 Iberville St., bicycle
9/24/08, 12:01 p.m., 100 Elk Pl.
9/24/08, 12:00 p.m., 700 Commerce St.
9/26/08, 11:30 p.m., 200 Bourbon St.
9/26/08, 2:10 a.m., Canal St.
9/26/08, 10:00 p.m., 300 Canal St., bicycle
9/27/08, 4:55 p.m., 1100 Decatur St., shoplifting
9/29/08, 7:00 p.m., Poydras St.
9/29/08, 11:30 p.m., 300 Decatur St., bicycle

Auto theft
9/05/08, 5:45 p.m., 300 Loyola Ave.
9/06/08, 12:30 p.m., 1000 Loyola Ave.
9/07/08, 8:00 p.m., 200 St. Charles St.
9/07/08, 5:00 p.m., 900 St. Peter St.
9/07/08, 1:30 a.m., Burgundy St. & Bienville St.
9/08/08, 11:00 a.m., O'Keefe Ave. & Girod St.
9/08/08, 2:00 p.m., 300 Canal St.
9/08/08, 11:00 a.m., O'Keefe Ave. & Girod St.
9/09/08, 8:00 a.m., 900 Orleans Ave.
9/11/08, 1:00 a.m., 500 Baronne St.
9/12/08, 1:30 a.m., Royal St. & Touro St.
9/12/08, 3:00 a.m., St. Joseph St. & Tchoupitoulas St., attempted
9/13/08, 2:30 a.m., 300 Royal St.
9/14/08, 2:50 a.m., Iberville St. & Dauphine St.
9/14/08, 6:30 p.m., Dauphine St. & Gov. Nicholls St.
9/15/08, 7:30 a.m., 500 St. Joseph St.
9/15/08, 1:30 a.m., Iberville St. & Exchange Alley
9/18/08, 11:30 a.m., Canal St.
9/19/08, 11:30 a.m., 600 Esplanade Ave.
9/20/08, 2:00 a.m., St. Joseph St. & Tchoupitoulas St.
9/20/08, 6:30 p.m., N. Peters St. & Conti St.
9/20/08, 11:30 p.m., 400 Canal St.
9/20/08, 9:45 p.m., 1200 N. Rampart St.
9/20/08, 11:30 p.m., 100 Burgundy St.
9/20/08, 8:30 a.m., 1000 St. Louis St.
9/21/08, 12:17 a.m., 200 Julia St.
9/23/08, 4:00 a.m., Bourbon St. & Bienville St.
9/24/08, 11:00 a.m., 800 Chartres St.
9/25/08, 11:15 a.m., 1300 Poydras St.
9/27/08, 9:45 p.m., 600 Esplanade Ave.
9/28/08, 1:00 a.m., Poydras St. & Tchoupitoulas St.
9/28/08, 3:30 a.m., 800 Magazine St.
9/28/08, 11:30 a.m., 900 Girod St.
9/28/08, 11:30 p.m., 800 Constance St.
9/28/08, 3:30 a.m., 800 Magazine St.
9/28/08, 3:30 a.m., 800 Magazine St.
9/29/08, 4:00 a.m., St. Joseph St. & Tchoupitoulas St.
9/29/08, 1:30 a.m., 1000 Gov. Nicholls St.
9/29/08, 5:55 p.m., 400 Natchez St.

Car break-in
9/07/08, 4:00 a.m., 1500 Cleveland Ave.
9/08/08, 10:54 a.m., 800 Tchoupitoulas St.
9/08/08, 1:00 a.m., 1100 Royal St.
9/09/08, 3:15 a.m., 300 Loyola Ave.
9/12/08, 12:35 p.m., 600 Gravier St.
9/14/08, 2:00 a.m., 1200 N. Rampart St.
9/18/08, 11:00 p.m., 700 Gov. Nicholls St.
9/20/08, 1:00 a.m., 200 S. Rampart St.
9/20/08, 8:50 a.m., 1300 Perdido St.
9/23/08, 1:00 p.m., Elysian Fields Ave. & Decatur St.
9/24/08, 2:15 a.m., 2100 Chartres St.
9/26/08, 5:15 p.m., 300 O'Keefe Ave.
9/29/08, 2:00 p.m., 400 Canal St.
9/29/08, 8:04 a.m., 500 Wilkinson St.

Wild, wild weekend

Black gangs get into it: The tranquility of a Sunday morning was broken when 2 groups of black guys got into an argument on Iberville Street near Burgundy Street shortly before 5 a.m. that turned into a gun battle.

One guy pulled a pistol and fired it 6 to 8 times, striking a 23-year-old man 3 times, twice in the torso and once in the left leg.

Employees of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at that location were among the first on the scene and reported the victim appeared to be in critical condition when he was taken away by ambulance. He underwent surgery at University Hospital and was last reported in stable condition.

Police are labeling it an attempted murder and are looking for a black male in his early 20's, 5'11" tall, weighing 145 pounds, with a slim build and brown complexion, wearing a black shirt, blue pants, and a black fitted hat (what the hell's that?)

One arrest too--with 16 charges: A white man standing in front of the Renaissance Pere Marquette Hotel, 817 Common St. in the CBD, Sunday night (9.28.08) at 11 p.m. was accosted by 4 black thugs. He was struck by one of them and then was relieved of his money clip from his pants pocket. The robbers fled toward S. Rampart Street.

A short time later, police caught up with one of the thugs who was positively identified as the robber. It must have been some kind of apprehension: When it was all done, the NOPD had 16 charges against Joseph M. Lawrence, 21, 5'11" tall, weighing 210 pounds.

He was charged with simple robbery, possession with intent to distribute Ecstasy, possession of a firearm while in possession of controlled dangerous substances, flight from an officer and resisting arrest, plus a host of traffic violations too numerous for anyone but a police officer to tabulate. He's being held on $34,000 bond in OPP.

What's with the CBD?: Earlier that same day, just down the street in the 700 block of Common Street, an Asian man was walking about 5 a.m. when he was approached from behind by a nondescript male and felt something pushed into his back. The robber demanded money and the victim complied. The victim could give no description of the robber.

Then in the afternoon, at about 2:26 p.m., a white woman, who had just crossed the intersection of Girod and Magazine streets, had her purse snatched by a black man she described as 35 to 40 years old, 6' tall, weighing 320 pounds, wearing a black shirt and black running pants. He fled up Magazine toward Julia Street.

With friends like that..: A white woman walking on Dauphine Street about 5 a.m. on Saturday (9.27.08) was approached by a black dude she knew as "David" who offered to walk her over to Bourbon Street.

But after a walking for a few minutes, he punched her in the face and took 2 bracelets from her. She flagged down a passing motorist, who took her to the 8th District station at Royal and Conti streets.

She was unable to tell the officers the exact location where she'd been robbed, but described "David" as 25 to 30 years old, 5'10" tall, weighing 190 pounds, wearing a white tuxedo shirt and black pants.

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

Thom Kahler

A week or so worth of crime

More or less: The NOPD is reporting so few crimes to the public that you've got to let the reports accumulate before they amount to a hill of beans. If it was because crime in the French Quarter has ebbed to a new low, it would be one thing. But we keep getting reports from citizens--not the police--about crimes they've heard bits about but have no details.

The case causing the most stir is this one: Several citizens reported seeing pools of blood all over the Lower Quarter on Wednesday (9.24.08) morning and wondered if someone had been murdered.

Prodigious amounts of blood were seen at Chartres and Barracks streets, on Royal Street, on Esplanade Avenue, and at Bourbon and Barracks streets. Police reported finding a white man (no age given) at the later location on Bourbon who had been stabbed in the arm. They determined the assault had occurred at the initial location on Chartres.

The victim told the cops a black guy stabbed him about 4 a.m. and fled on a bicycle "with a white bucket on the front."

Police said the victim "does not remember the events immediately before the attack," which is police-speak for "the victim was likely drunk out of his mind." Judging by the trail of blood he left, like a chicken running around with his head cut off, that's a real possibility.

In the meantime, if you're out staggering around at 4 a.m. in the Lower Quarter, watch out for a 6'-tall, 200-pound black dude riding a bicycle sporting a "white bucket" on front.

Other cases of lesser note:

• Armed robbery, 9.15.08, 4:30 a.m.: A black man, walking back to his hotel in the 300 block of Poydras Street from N. Rampart and Toulouse streets at 4:30 a.m., was robbed when a black Dodge Charger pulled along side of him and 2 armed black thugs got out and demanded his money.

He complied but waited until he got back to his hotel to report the crime. He was unsure of the exact location, and though 8th District detectives drove him around the French Quarter in an effort to locate the scene of the crime, he had no recollection. A little tourist tipsiness involved here too, it seems like.

He did describe the robbers as having dark complexions and wearing dark shirts; the driver, however, was wearing a white shirt. That should help a lot.

• Armed robbery, 9.16.08, 7:10 a.m.: A 60-year-old white woman was parking her car in the 1000 block of Chartres Street (between Ursulines and St. Philip streets) when a big black dude jumped into the passenger side and began to rummage through the woman's purse.

She screamed at the thug to get out of her car and he reached into his pocket, making her think he had a gun. She engineered her own exit from the car, taking the keys with her. When the thug realized she'd taken the keys with her, he fled too.

Police apprehended, Dale Kyles, 41, 5'11" tall, weighing 200 pounds, in the 900 block of Chartres. He was charged with 1st-degree robbery and is being held in OPP on $50,000 bond.

• Aggravated battery, 9.20.08, 8:50 p.m.: A Hispanic man standing in the 1100 block of Canal Street was attacked by a black guy who cut the victim on the neck and fled.

The assailant is described as 23 to 30 years old, 6' tall, 220 pounds, heavy set, medium curly Afro hairdo, red complexion, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

• Attempted armed robbery, 9.21.08., 4:47 a.m.: A Hispanic man and white woman, walking with another female on Royal Street near Frenchmen Street, were accosted by a black guy sporting a handgun who demanded their money.

The thug struck the man in the head. The woman threw her purse to the ground and the thug rummaged through it but didn't take anything. He hopped into a white SUV which sped down Royal toward Esplanade Avenue.

The would-be robber was described as 20 to 25 years old, 5'8" tall, weighing 160 pounds, medium complexion, wearing a black T-shirt and dark pants.

Is the DA waiting for him to kill someone?: There were so many cases the DA refused to prosecute this month that you might have just skimmed by NOcrimeline's report last week on Luiz Ramirez not being prosecuted for a second time this year. Well, the DA may get to go for 3--if the NOPD catches up with Ramirez again.

An arrest warrant is out for Ramirez, 38, on aggravated battery after he allegedly stabbed a black man in Jackson Square on Thursday (9.25.08). Apparently the victim was engaged in a conversation with another man about 7:40 p.m. when Ramirez--whom they knew as "Dizzy"--came up and tried to butt into their conversation. They told Ramirez to butt out, at which point he allegedly stabbed one of the men in his left arm and his back.

Ramirez fled on St. Peter street toward the river. The victim was taken to the hospital, where he was listed in guarded, but stable, condition. Witnesses positively identified Ramirez, 38, 5'10" tall, weighing 220 pounds, from a photographic lineup (newer photo on the left, older photo on the right). At the time of the attack he was wearing a maroon button-down shirt and khaki pants.

Just 17 days earlier (9.8.08), the DA refused to prosecute Ramirez for aggravated battery and resisting an officer. He had been arrested in Jackson Square for allegedly stabbing a guy in the abdomen at Royal and St. Peter streets by the old A&P on 6.13.08.

In March, the DA refused to prosecute Ramirez for aggravated battery and armed robbery after he was arrested in January.

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

Thom Kahler

Murder trial set...finally

After 10 years: A French Quarter murder case that passed the decade mark in July--to the consternation of the victim's mother and father--looks like it's finally going to trial.

Yesterday (9.18.08) in Criminal District Court Judge Arthur L. Hunter Jr.'s courtroom a trial date was set for 12.1.08 for Erran Fleming, 30, one of the defendants in the case. Fleming is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Kevin Wooldridge on 7.7.98.

Fleming's accomplice, Kevin Trainor, was convicted of second-degree murder in 2004 and is serving a life-sentence without possibility of parole or probation.

Wooldridge, 34, and his partner, Doug Rake, were returning to their home in the 1000 block of Gov. Nicholls Street after walking their dog in the Quarter that evening. They were approached by 2 black men they thought were panhandlers, but the duo then tried to rob them and followed them to their doorstep and shot Wooldridge as he tried to slam the door in their faces after Rake was already inside.

Order in the court...hardly

The hammer comes down: We were about to label Criminal District Court Judge Frank A. Marullo Jr. as a "bleeding heart" for the defendants he was turning loose on their own recognizance, when he hauled off and gave a robber a whopping 15-year sentence on Monday (9.15.08) for an armed robbery on Bourbon Street.

You won't be seeing James G. White on the streets for the next 15 years. Judge Marullo sentenced White to Angola "without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension" after he pled guilty. He'll also be serving a 12-year sentence concurrently for a burglary to which he also pled guilty.

White was arrested 12.10.07 after he approached Yilmaz Kahya, 39, of Metairie, who was standing on the corner of Bourbon and St. Philip streets near Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop at about 9:46 p.m., and asked Kahya if he wanted to buy drugs. The man declined and started to walk off. White stopped him and demanded his wallet. Kahya told White he would give him his money but not the wallet. When he removed the wallet from his back pocket, White grabbed it and they began fighting over it. White pulled out a large knife and swung it at Kahya, cutting him twice on the right forearm. White fled down Bourbon Street with the wallet and about $200 in cash.

The victim, sufficiently incensed by loosing his wallet and cash and receiving the gash on his arm, walked around the French Quarter looking for his assailant. Nearly 2 hours later, Kahya spotted his assailant at Royal and Toulouse streets at 11:32 p.m., and he and 2 friends apprehended White and held him until police arrived.

White was charged with armed robbery and aggravated battery, though the latter charge was later dropped by the DA. He has been sitting in OPP since his arrest and will get credit for those 10 months on his 15-year sentence.

Softer side of Marullo-Part I: For whatever reason, Judge Marullo decided in May to release a guy charged for possession with intent to distribute marijuana on his own recognizance after he'd been held for 2 months on $25,000 bond.

The problem with that was that when Jeffrey R. Graves, 31, was due to show up for his arraignment in July, he was nowhere to be found. He was rearrested on 8.5.08 on a domestic violence charge and is being held without bond awaiting arraignment on his drug charge later this month.

Softer side of Marullo-Part II: A 20-year-old punk--who had been charged with 7 armed robberies--is out running the streets, thanks largely to Judge Marullo.

Renaldo Nickles, along with his 14-year-old cousin, had been charged for 5 armed robberies in the French Quarter last April, plus 2 more on his own Uptown. The DA ultimately reduced the charges to just 4 armed robberies and Nickles bond was set at $400,000--presumably enough to keep this terror off the streets.

But in July, Marullo slashed the bond to $100,000 and by 8.21.08, Nickles had convinced a bail bondsman that he wasn't such a bad guy and the bond was posted. Nickles is out running free until at least his next court date 10.28.08.

Blame the DA for this one: A 18-year-old thug was cut loose because the DA apparently concluded shooting a boy in the back wasn't worth prosecuting.

Jernell Madison was charged only with aggravated battery for shooting the 16-year-old black boy after a fight at Canal and N. Rampart streets on 7.6.08 at about 3 a.m. 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 Madison, who allegedly pulled out his pistol and shot the young boy.

But on 9.8.08, the DA decided to refuse to prosecute him.

Madison, after turning 17 last year, was charged with aggravated assault in September--but on the first day the new DA was in office, she dropped the charges. Then 2 weeks later he was arrested for armed robbery with a firearm. He got out of OPP on $75,000 bond in June--just in time for the shooting--and was supposed to be back in court on those charges, but now there's rumor the DA is going to refuse to prosecute him for that crime too.

Another no-show: Remember the guy who almost got blown away by his victim last April? Lucky to be alive after being shot at 4 times by his target, he's pushing his luck again.

Bruce Jones, 26, was due to stand trial last Thursday (9.11.08) for aggravated assault in the case, but failed to show up at Tulane and Broad. His bond was set at only a measly $3,000 which some unfortunate bail bondsman posted for him. (Jones has a long history with the NOPD and this is not the first time he's skipped out on a bond. Back in 2001, he ignored a $20,000 bond after pleading guilty to possession of crack cocaine.) When they catch up with again this time he'll be held without bond.

Jones was arrested 4.8.08 after he allegedly accosted a guy in the 500 block of Burgundy Street at 12:30 a.m. According to the victim, Jones "reached under his shirt and started to point a very large gun at me." The victim who had just been robbed the week before at Burgundy and Bienville streets, pulled out his Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver and fired 4 shots at the other gunman.

Jones fled and the victim chased him down. When police arrived, Jones was laying face down in the gutter and begging the victim not to shoot him. Police originally also charged Jones with carrying a concealed weapon, but the DA dropped that charge.

Restroom robbers go free: The 2 guys accused of robbing a guy in the john of Chris Owens Club last February have been given a free pass by the DA--after their case drug through the court for 6 months and they stewed in OPP all that time.

When the case of Donovan Rayfield (right), 22, and Ronald Wasvhington (left), 23, came up on 8.28.08, the DA decided to "nolle prosequi" (not prosecute).

They were accused of robbing a 24-year-old black man, in the restroom of Chris Owens Club, 500 Bourbon St., at 12:10 a.m. on 2.17.08. They allegedly pulled a gun on the victim and demanded his money. He gave up $200 and the robbers fled on foot down St. Louis Street where they were apprehended by police as they reached N. Rampart Street.

Others the DA let go: More cases the DA refused to prosecute after the NOPD made arrests:

• Marquis Storey, 23, simple robbery, refused 9.17.08. Storey was one of 3 men who allegedly shook down another black man on 7.5.08 after he visited a strange woman at the Astor Crown Plaza Hotel at the corner of Bourbon and Canal streets. They demanded money and the victim gave $400 to them.

• Gregory Trott, 34, burglary, refused 9.16.08. Accused of breaking into a car in the 300 block of Burgundy Street on 4.20.08 and stealing $1,439.

• Luiz Ramirez, 38, resisting an officer and aggravated battery, refused 9.9.08. Accused of stabbing a guy in Jackson Square on 6.13.08. Earlier in the year he was charged with armed robbery and aggravated battery, but the DA refused to prosecute him then too.

• Randy Cotton, 27, pursesnatching, refused 8.26.08. Occurred 6.29.08 at 3:50 a.m. in the 100 block of Bourbon Street.

• Ciera Wells, 22, aggravated assault, refused 8.18.08. Accused of pointing a pistol at a bouncer at the Fat Catz Music Club, 440 Bourbon St., on 5.15.08 after he barred her from entering.

• Kardell M. Smith, 19, aggravated assault, refused 8.4.08. Accused of pulling a gun after getting into an argument with the bouncers at Utopia Night Club, 227 Bourbon St., on 5.6.08.

4 for 4, but is it justice?: Ashley Netter, the 23-year-old Kenner chick most victims thought was a man at first, who went on a robbery rampage the first part of this year and was originally charged with 9 robberies, is going to do 4 years in prison after pleading guilty to 4 of them.

She plead guilty to the charges 8.21.08 and was sentenced to 4-year terms for each, to be served concurrently, by Criminal District Court Judge Darryl Derbigny. Better than nothing, I guess, but go back to the beginning of this story and see the sentence a white boy got for just one robbery.

Finally a conclusion: It's taken a while, but the 2 guys who robbed a woman in the Marigny Triangle over a year ago have been found guilty and are prison-bound.

Eric Gentris (left), 19, and Oneil Carter (right), 21, who robbed Aimee Stuit, 37, and Justin Dragonas in the early morning hours of 7.8.07 at Touro and Royal streets, were each found guilty of the robbery--in rare jury trials, each held separately, after the charges were reduced from armed robbery to first degree robbery.

Gentris, the gunman in the robbery, was found guilty by a jury last December and was sentenced by Judge Marullo to 7 years in prison "without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence." (And the judge also advised the defendant "get a G.E.D., a pair of eyeglasses, and medical treatment for asthma.")

Carter, who drove the getaway car, was found guilty by a jury 8.27.08 and is due to be sentenced 10.1.08 by Judge Marullo.

Remember this guy?: He's the guy who fought the law and the law apparently won, judging by his booking photo. When they hauled in Howard Fleming, 27, after arresting him at Chartres Street and Elysian Fields Avenue on 5.16.08 he wound up with 7 charges against him:

• 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.

His total bond on all the charges was $71,500, but Judge Marullo released him 7.24.08 on his own recognizance.

When all was said and done, Fleming pled guilty 8.28.08 to 5 charges, some of them reduced from more serious crimes, and Judge Marullo sentenced him to 60 days on each charge, all to run concurrently, and with credit for time served--which means Fleming is once again out and about.

Guilty, but what the hell: Then there are those who plead guilty to crimes, who are sentenced, then the sentence is suspended so they walk free. Not much of a deterrent to crime, if you ask me:

• Kevin Earin, 46, arrested 5.13.08 for burglarizing The Spa at The Ritz-Carlton on Canal Street. Pled guilty as charged 8.21.08 before Judge Lynda Van Davis, who sentenced him to 3 years, suspended the sentence and put him on active probation.

• Bill Amos, 54, arrested 3.23.08 for attempted armed robbery after he pulled a knife on a resident standing in front of his house in the 300 block of Burgundy Street. Pled guilty as charged 8.8.08 before Judge Ben Willard, who sentenced him to 5 years, suspended it, and put him on probation with the provision he be assigned to the mental health court.

• Daniel Lumas, 28, and Frank Rulh, 23, arrested 2.4.08 for attempted armed robbery outside the Verti-Mart at Royal and Gov. Nicholls streets. The attempted armed robbery charge was reduced to attempted simple robbery for both defendants to which they both pled guilty. Lumas also pled guilty to simple robbery.

Judge Ben Willard sentenced Lumas to 7 years for the robbery and 3 years and 6 months for the attempted robbery; Rulh was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months for the charge against him. All sentences were suspended and the defendants put on probation.

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

Thom Kahler

Back to normal

Of course, that means armed robberies abound again in most of the city since Gustav. Maybe the miscreants are supplementing their income while waiting for FEMA to feed them. The French Quarter endured only a couple robberies, as if that's a lot of consolation. But a strange phenomena in the Quarter: Of the 4 crimes over the weekend we heard about, no guns were used; but 2 broken bottles and a board were.

One robbery or two?: A NOcrimeline reader reported a friend of his, out celebrating his 30th birthday, was robbed Saturday night as he was walking down Dauphine Street and turning onto St. Ann Street, where he was slammed in the face with a wooden board by his attacker.

"He immediately fell to the ground and was unconscious," said the reporter. "The bartenders from Good Friends bar (740 Dauphine St.) screamed to the attacker, who grabbed the cash from his wallet and then dropped it to the ground on top of my friend's unconscious body." The robber got away with about $50. The victim, who was hauled off in an ambulance for stitches to his face, was in no condition to describe his attacker.

When we asked the 8th District NOPD about this incident, we were told it occurred Sunday (9.14.08) morning (not Saturday night) about 2:33 a.m., that it was in the 900 block of Dauphine (between St. Philip and Dumaine streets), and that the victim was robbed of $300.

Although our reporter said his friend was unable to describe his assailant, the NOPD report said the robber was a black man, 5'8" tall, with gold teeth, a dark complexion and short hair, wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants. The report said he struck his victim (but no mention of a weapon was noted) and escaped in a gold Ford Explorer.

Same incident? Maybe so. But all the discrepancies make you wonder. That's what happens when information provided in the police reports is so scant.

"I've got a bottle and I know how to use it": A black guy armed with a broken beer bottle went into Adult Video at 425 Bourbon St. on Sunday (9.14.08) at about 1:35 a.m. and demanded money from the black clerk working behind the counter. The clerk opened the cash register and the robber took an untold amount of money and fled on foot from the store.

A short time later, police arrested Lance Johnson, 20, 5'7" tall, weighing 155 pounds and charged him with armed robbery. He is being held in OPP on $100,000 bond.

Another bottle, another crime: A black couple got into an argument at the corner of Bourbon and St. Louis streets last evening (9.14.08) at 6:34 p.m. and the girl allegedly picked up a broken bottle and cut the 20-year-old guy described as her boyfriend in the back. She fled on foot but was apprehended a block away by Ofc. Keith Ambrose, of the Bourbon Street Promenade.

Arrested was Melanie R. White, 17, whose last know address is 611 N. Rampart St. She was charged with aggravated battery and her bond originally set at $25,000.

But Criminal District Court Judge Raymond C. Bigelow released her on her own recognizance and confined her to her home with an ankle bracelet. He also issued a protective order, presumably against her presumed boyfriend. She was already out on bond on a charge of soliciting a crime against nature.

Is that all there is?: This was the first report of crime from the 8th District in 6 days. It covered only crimes occurring on Sunday (9.14.08). Does that mean no crimes--absolutely none--occurred since last Tuesday (9.9.08) when the 8th District sent out a report?

Hard to believe. It would be nice if it were true. It would be nicer still if we knew what was happening so we could take precautions to avoid becoming victims.

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

Thom Kahler