Bullets, bombs, and bonds

Cop shot at: A suspect, who allegedly had already shot one man, reportedly took a shot at a cop who happened upon the scene Saturday (6.20.09) morning around 5:30 a.m. at Burgundy and St. Louis streets.

According to a report by a nearby resident, 2 black guys were getting into a SUV parked near 520 Burgundy St. when one guy opened fired on the vehicle's owner, chasing him up Burgundy toward St. Louis, firing again. As the duo rounded the corner on St. Louis toward Dauphine Street, a cop car on routine patrol was flagged down by the victim who had been shot in the shoulder. The victim told the officer he had been shot and pointed out the shooter standing at the corner. The alleged shooter took a shot at the patrol car and fled on foot.

Reinforcements called in apprehended the alleged shooter, Trevon N. Ebbs, 20, and charged him with 2 counts of attempted 1st-degree murder. He is being held in OPP on $1 million bond.

Speaking of bonds: Nathaniel Payton finally got his day in court last Wednesday (6.17.09) to plead not guilty to a charge of 2nd-degree murder and promptly had his butt thrown in OPP on a $1.5 million bond.

That's the good news on a thug who's been running loose for nearly a year on puny bonds set after he allegedly shot a guy. The bad news is he's got a bond hearing Tuesday (6.23.09) in Judge Lynda Van Davis' courtroom to try to get the bond reduced so he can walk free (or at least, less expensively) again.

Payton, 27, was charged with 2nd-degree murder in February and indicted by a grand jury in May after a guy he allegedly pumped 7 or 8 slugs into last August at Bienville and Decatur streets died in the hospital after 6 months on life-support.

If you don't think the bond amount is important, consider this: Telly Hankton, 33, who posted a $1 million bond last year (where does a street thug get that kind of money?) to get out of OPP after being charged with 2nd-degree murder for a revenge killing, is wanted again for another murder committed Saturday (6.20.09) Uptown in another revenge killing while he was free on bond. (He turned himself into the NOPD last night and no bond has been set yet.)

Judge Arthur Hunter refused repeated pleas by the District Attorney's office to increase Hankton's bond before the most recent murder. Citizen's should make sure this doesn't happen in Payton's case.

Told you it was a weird week: Last Monday (6.15.09) the 8th District station got a bomb threat, what they call one of those "F.U." calls (you can figure out what it means) around 11 a.m.

The man calling from a payphone said, "There's a bomb in the building, I'm going to kill all of you mother*******, I hate you mother*******, and I hate y'all!"

That happens every once in a while, and officers search in and around the building for suspicious packages. None were found.

Then the real crimes: The hot weather's bringing out the robbers again, but be glad you're not in the Garden District or Uptown--it's brutal up there. Here's what's been happening in the 8th District:

• Monday (6.15.09): A 16-year-old black boy was arrested for 2 armed robberies a couple of blocks and a few minutes apart.

• Around 10 a.m. a white man walking in the 800 block of St. Peter Street (between Bourbon and Dauphine streets) was stuck up by 2 black boys who demanded his money. When he told them he had none, they fled on foot.

• Just 4 minutes later, a white man walking in the 800 block of St. Ann Street was accosted by the same guys, who stuck a gun in his back and demanded his money. The victim complied and the punks fled.

Because the arrested perp is a juvenile, the police are not releasing his name. His accomplice, who is still at large was described as 18 to 20 years old.

• Wednesday (6.17.09): 2 black dudes were arrested for allegedly rolling 2 white guys who were having such a good time they didn't know what bar they were in when it happened, though they say it was near Bourbon and Conti streets (which narrows it down to a couple dozen).

One of the robbers knocked one of the victims to the ground and grabbed the goodies from his pockets while his buddy grabbed the wallet from the other victim's pocket.

Arrested were Cornelius Thompson (right), 28, who was charged with simple robbery and simple battery, and Jermaine Lewis (left), 26, who was charged with simple robbery. Thompson is being held on $30,000 bond and Lewis is held on $25,000 bond.

• Thursday (6.18.09): 8th District detectives arrested Ashley Fleming, 22, and charged her with simple robbery and a couple of drug charges.

She was picked out of a photo line-up by a white woman who had her purse snatched 10 days earlier by 2 black chicks while walking near St. Philip and Dauphine streets around 12:35 a.m.

• Friday (6.19.09): Detectives issued an arrest warrant for Joseph A. Davis, 18, who was picked out of a photo line-up by a man was robbed of his cellphone while taking pictures in the 600 block of Bourbon Street on 5.29.09.

He was described as a black male, 20 to 25 years old, 5'9" tall, weighing 140 pounds with a thin build, dark complexion, shoulder-length dreadlocks, wearing a powder blue T-shirt and black shorts.

Just 4 days before the Bourbon street robbery, Davis was charged 5.25.09 with another robbery, but managed to get out of jail on a $15,000 bond set by Magistrate Harry Cantrell.

• Saturday (6.20.09): A white guy walking in the 900 block of Conti Street (between Dauphine and Burgundy streets) around 3 a.m. said he was struck from behind by some one. He says he lost consciousness and when he awoke his pockets had been cleaned out.

• Saturday (6.20.09): A white man standing near St. Philip and Royal streets around 10:20 p.m. was accosted by 2 black thugs, who slugged him with some object and made off with his laptop computer.

Both suspects were described as 16 to 20 years old, 5'8" tall, weighing 140 pounds, one wearing a dark-colored bandana, a red and black shirt and blue jeans, the other wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans.

• Sunday (6.21.09): A drunk white got into a van with 2 black chicks around 4:50 a.m. at Cleveland Avenue and Elk Place and agreed to pay them for a ride to Algiers. Instead they gave him a ride to the nearest ATM where a black dude emerged from the back of the van with a pistol, demanding his money. The trio made off with his credit card and cash as he exited the van.

The description of the perps involved "dreadlocks" and "cornrows" and not much else.

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

Thom Kahler