Crimes reported in April

We've compiled the latest list of crimes reported during April 2009 in the 8th District (French Quarter, Marigny Triangle, CBD) as listed on the NOPD's crime map, which gives the dates, locations, and the time the crimes occurred. Click here for the list. The comparison of crimes this year versus last year has also been updated on the list to the right.

Crimes reported: April 2009

This is a list of the crimes reported during April, 2009 in the 8th District (French Quarter, Marigny Triangle, CBD) as listed on the NOPD's crime map, which gives the dates, locations, and the time the crimes occurred.

Murder
4.02.09, 7:12 a.m., Gravier St. & S. Rampart St., shooting

Robbery
4.01.09, 8:40 p.m., 100 S. Peters St., pursesnatching
4.01.09, 11:10 p.m., 700 Royal St., attempted pursesnatching
4.02.09, 3:05 a.m., 400 Gravier St., armed
4.08.09, 5:55 a.m., 800 Chartres St., armed, knife
4.09.09, 5:20 a.m., 700 Bienville St., armed, knife
4.10.09, 9:20 p.m., 300 Tchoupitoulas St., armed
4.11.09, 2:35 a.m., 400 Bourbon St., simple
4.12.09, 11:30 p.m., 700 St. Louis St., attempted simple
4.17.09, 3:35 a.m., 1400 Canal St., armed
4.17.09, 9:07 p.m., 300 Notre Dame St., armed, gun
4.19.09, 2:13 p.m., Decatur St. & Esplanade Ave., pursesnatching
4.20.09, 9:45 p.m., St. Peter St. & Chartres St., armed
4.23.09, 3:02 a.m., Royal St. & St. Philip St., armed, gun
4.22.09, 10:45 p.m., 2000 Chartres St., armed, gun
4.24.09, 9:40 a.m., Girod St. & Loyola Ave., armed, gun
4.24.09, 8:50 p.m., 1400 Cleveland Ave., armed, carjacking
4.25.09, 1:04 a.m., 800 Common St., simple
4.25.09, 2:40 p.m., 1400 Cleveland Ave., attempted armed carjacking
4.29.09, 10:30 a.m., 1200 Burgundy St., armed, gun
4.27.09, 2:00 a.m., 2100 Chartres St., armed, gun
4.28.09, 3:22 a.m., Canal St., pursesnatching
4.29.09, 5:15 a.m., 400 Bourbon St., simple
4.29.09, 10:30 a.m., 1200 Burgundy St., armed, gun
4.08.09, 5:55 a.m., 800 Chartres St., armed, knife

Assault & battery
4.03.09, 4:20 a.m., 100 Royal St., aggravated assault
4.07.09, 8:10 p.m., 300 O'Keefe Ave., aggravated battery
4.11.09, 10:45 p.m., Bourbon St. & St. Louis St., aggravated battery, cutting
4.17.09, 1:30 a.m., 800 St. Louis St., aggravated battery
4.17.09, 8:45 p.m., 200 Bourbon St., aggravated battery, cutting
4.19.09, 1:03 a.m., S. Villere St. & Canal St., aggravated battery, shooting
4.19.09, 4:49 p.m., 1600 Canal St., aggravated battery, cutting

Burglary
4.03.09, 9:00 p.m., 800 Camp St., residence
4.07.09, 3:30 a.m., 600 Chartres St., business
4.07.09, 11:30 p.m., 1600 Canal St.
4.09.09, 5:00 a.m., 200 Decatur St., business
4.09.09, 10:00 p.m., 1000 Toulouse St., residence
4.10.09, 11:30 p.m., 1000 Constance St.
4.13.09, 1:30 a.m., 1100 N. Rampart St., business
4.15.09, 4:45 a.m., 1300 Decatur St., business
4.17.09, 3:35 a.m., 1200 N. Rampart St., business
4.17.09, 3:22 p.m., 1000 St. Peter St., residence
4.19.09, 2:06 a.m., 1100 Decatur St., business
4.21.09, 7:00 p.m., 300 Dauphine St., business
4.24.09, 9:30 p.m., 2000 Royal St., residence
4.24.09, 11:30 p.m., 2000 St. Claude Ave., residence
4.27.09, 6:30 a.m., 1100 Decatur St., business
4.29.09, 10:00 a.m., 1000 Orleans Ave., residence

Theft
4.01.09, 10:15 a.m., 100 Carondelet St.
4.01.09, 9:50 p.m., 400 Bourbon St., pickpocketing
4.02.09, 4:30 p.m., 800 Royal St., bicycle theft
4.04.09, 8:30 a.m., 800 Camp St.
4.04.09, 9:00 a.m., 2000 Royal St.
4.04.09, 3:45 p.m., 800 Tchoupitoulas St., bicycle theft
4.04.09, 8:00 p.m., 1100 Decatur St.
4.04.09, 9:50 p.m., 500 St. Peter St.
4.05.09, 1:20 a.m., 400 Bourbon St., pickpocketing
4.05.09, 2:10 a.m., 400 Bourbon St., pickpocketing
4.05.09, 3:45 a.m., Bourbon St. & Bienville St., pickpocketing
4.05.09, 4:00 a.m., 700 Bourbon St.
4.05.09, 6:35 p.m., 300 Bourbon St.
4.05.09, 9:36 p.m., 800 Canal St., shoplifting
4.05.09, 10:30 p.m., 500 Bourbon St.
4.05.09, 11:45 p.m., 800 Toulouse St., shoplifting
4.06.09, 9:20 a.m., 900 Canal St., shoplifting
4.06.09, 3:16 p.m., 900 Decatur St., shoplifting
4.06.09, 12:30 p.m., French Market Place
4.07.09, 4:00 a.m., 300 O'Keefe Ave.
4.07.09, 3:00 p.m., 700 Canal St., shoplifting
4.06.09, 8:40 p.m., 200 Decatur St.
4.08.09, 1:10 p.m., 1300 Canal St.
4.09.09, 10:17 a.m., 100 Royal St., shoplifting
4.08.09, 11:00 p.m., 900 Canal St.
4.09.09, 10:00 a.m., 700 Orleans Ave.
4.10.09, 8:30 p.m., 1000 Toulouse St.
4.12.09, 12:50 p.m., 1200 N. Peters St.
4.12.09, 12:30 a.m., 700 Orleans Ave.
4.12.09, 3:00 p.m., 200 Carondelet St.
4.12.09, 2:45 a.m., 800 S. Peters St.
4.12.09, 6:20 p.m., 900 Decatur St., shoplifting
4.13.09, 4:08 p.m., 400 Decatur St., shoplifting
4.14.09, 5:15 a.m., 300 Magazine St.
4.14.09, 6:58 p.m., 800 Toulouse St., shoplifting
4.15.09, 4:30 p.m., 1100 Chartres St.
4.16.09, 3:30 p.m., 300 Poydras St.
4.16.09, 5:51 p.m., 300 Royal St., shoplifting
4.17.09, 1:20 a.m., 300 Bourbon St., pickpocketing
4.17.09, 12:15 p.m., 100 Royal St., shoplifting
4.17.09, 1:26 p.m., 900 Canal St.
4.17.09, 10:30 p.m., Bourbon St. & Bienville St., pickpocketing
4.17.09, 9:36 p.m., 300 Exchange Alley
4.17.09, 10:30 p.m., Bourbon St. & Bienville St., pickpocketing
4.18.09, 12:30 a.m., 200 Bourbon St., pickpocketing
4.14.09, 8:54 p.m., 400 Bourbon St.
4.19.09, 3:30 a.m., 500 Gravier St., pickpocketing
4.19.09, 7:00 a.m., 2000 St. Claude Ave., bicycle theft
4.21.09, 5:00 p.m., 800 Decatur St., shoplifting
4.21.09, 5:00 p.m., 500 Canal St.
4.21.09, 2:00 p.m., 500 Canal St.
4.22.09, 2:24 a.m., 500 Bourbon St.
4.23.09, 3:05 p.m., 300 Royal St., shoplifting
4.24.09, 2:00 a.m., 400 Bourbon St.
4.24.09, 3:50 p.m., 1200 Decatur St., shoplifting
4.26.09, 1:50 p.m., 800 N. Rampart St.
4.26.09, 9:00 a.m., Poydras St.
4.26.09, 8:18 p.m., 200 N. Peters St., shoplifting
4.27.09, 5:38 a.m., Conti St. & Dauphine St.
4.27.09, 8:30 a.m., 1500 Poydras St.
4.28.09, 2:39 p.m., 300 Bourbon St.
4.28.09, 4:15 p.m., 800 Royal St., shoplifting
4.29.09, 12:05 p.m., 100 Royal St., shoplifting
4.29.09, 4:15 p.m., 800 Chartres St., shoplifting
4.29.09, 4:05 p.m., 500 Royal St., shoplifting
4.27.09, 4:05 a.m., 300 O'Keefe Ave.
4.05.09, 4:00 a.m., 700 Bourbon St.
4.09.09, 10:17 a.m., 100 Royal St., shoplifting

Auto theft
4.01.09, 7:30 a.m., 700 Carondelet St.
4.03.09, 9:50 a.m., 1000 Bienville St.
4.03.09, 8:00 p.m., Burgundy St. & Toulouse St.
4.03.09, 7:00 p.m., 400 St. Joseph St.
4.04.09, 4:45 p.m., 700 N. Rampart St.
4.05.09, 12:15 a.m., Conti St. & Chartres St.
4.05.09, 6:10 a.m., Canal St. & Burgundy St.
4.05.09, 3:10 a.m., Cleveland Ave. & S. Saratoga St.
4.06.09, 1:45 a.m., 500 Wilkinson St.
4.06.09, 12:12 a.m., 1000 Loyola Ave.
4.11.09, 1:00 a.m., 400 Elysian Fields Ave.
4.12.09, 1:00 a.m., 300 Girod St.
4.12.09, 11:45 a.m., 2000 N. Rampart St.
4.12.09, 2:00 p.m., 500 Ursulines Ave.
4.13.09, 12:31 a.m., 600 Canal St.
4.14.09, 12:10 p.m., 900 St. Ann St.
4.13.09, 12:15 p.m., 300 Canal St.
4.15.09, 1:30 a.m., 900 Dauphine St.
4.18.09, 12:30 a.m., 100 S. Villere St.
4.18.09, 1:00 p.m., 1700 N. Rampart St.
4.18.09, 1:00 a.m., 100 N. Rampart St.
4.18.09, 1:00 a.m., 100 N. Rampart St.
4.18.09, 3:30 p.m., Burgundy St. & Iberville St.
4.19.09, 10:50 p.m., 600 Canal St.
4.18.09, 11:30 a.m., St. Joseph St. & S. Peters St.
4.23.09, 1:30 a.m., Gravier St. & Camp St.
4.23.09, 11:30 p.m., 500 Decatur St.
4.25.09, 12:47 p.m., Elysian Fields Ave. & N. Rampart St.
4.26.09, 1:30 a.m., 500 Bienville St.
4.25.09, 10:00 p.m., 1400 Royal St.
4.25.09, 8:00 p.m., 200 Dauphine St.
4.26.09, 12:00 p.m., 100 Dauphine St.
4.28.09, 10:30 a.m., 600 Elysian Fields Ave.
4.29.09, 2:30 p.m., 400 O'Keefe Ave.
4.29.09, 8:00 a.m., Conti St. & Dauphine St.

Car break-in
4.01.09, 8:30 p.m., Carondelet St. & St. Joseph St., interior
4.02.09, 6:20 p.m., 1000 N. Peters St., interior
4.04.09, 1:30 a.m., Julia St. & Commerce St., interior
4.04.09, 1:00 a.m., 200 Burgundy St., interior
4.04.09, 4:30 a.m., S. Peters St. & St. Joseph St., interior
4.04.09, 3:30 a.m., 900 Orleans Ave., exterior
4.06.09, 5:30 a.m., Poydras St. & S. Rampart St., interior
4.08.09, 7:30 a.m., 300 Notre Dame St., interior
4.10.09, 3:00 a.m., Chartres St. & Wilkinson St., interior
4.10.09, 1:00 a.m., Burgundy St. & Ursulines Ave., interior
4.10.09, 1:30 a.m., 700 Union St., interior
4.10.09, 4:00 a.m., 300 Notre Dame St., interior
4.10.09, 2:30 a.m., Toulouse St. & Decatur St., interior
4.12.09, 12:30 a.m., 100 Conti St., interior
4.12.09, 4:15 a.m., 300 O'Keefe Ave., interior
4.13.09, 5:00 p.m., 2000 Chartres St., interior
4.15.09, 1:30 p.m., 300 Burgundy St., interior
4.17.09, 4:00 a.m., 400 Canal St., interior
4.18.09, 5:00 p.m., 900 Magazine St., interior
4.19.09, 2:00 a.m., 100 N. Rampart St., interior
4.19.09, 12:00 p.m., Tchoupitoulas St. & Lafayette St., interior
4.20.09, 6:12 p.m., 800 Chartres St., interior
4.20.09, 11:45 p.m., 1400 Burgundy St., interior
4.22.09, 2:00 a.m., 600 St. Ann St., interior
4.24.09, 8:37 p.m., 900 Union St., interior
4.25.09, 2:30 a.m., 600 Conti St., exterior
4.25.09, 2:40 p.m., 100 S. Villere St., interior
4.26.09, 7:30 p.m., N. Peters St. & Esplanade Ave., interior
4.27.09, 4:00 a.m., 400 Canal St., interior
4.27.09, 7:07 p.m., 400 Conti St., interior
4.28.09, 3:00 a.m., 1600 Canal St., interior

Low down on stick ups

Spoke too soon: Just when we thought crime might have been tamed a little, a couple of incidents say otherwise:

• Monday (4.27.09), 2 a.m.: A white woman walking in the 2100 block of Chartres Street (between Frenchmen Street and Elysian Fields Avenue) was robbed of her purse by a black dude armed with a pistol.

The victim didn't do anything to help catch the crook--she waited 15 hours to call 911. She described the robber as in his early 20's, 5'7" tall, weighing 140 pounds, with a dark complexion, clean shaven and a short haircut. What was he wearing? Oh, that's right: kind of hard to remember after 15 hours of sleeping it off.

• Wednesday (4.29.09), 10:30 a.m.: A white couple walking in the 1200 block of Burgundy Street (between Barracks and Gov. Nicholls streets) were robbed in broad daylight by a giant of a white man with a toy pistol. He made off with their purse and wallet, fleeing on foot down Gov. Nicholls toward the river.

The robber was described as in his 20's, 6'4" tall, weighing 200 pounds, muscular build, wearing a long black shirt and khaki shorts. Surveillance cameras in the area captured this photograph (right) of the perpetrator as he fled the crime scene.

Pursesnatchers caught up: A couple of pursesnatchers weren't as lucky as the armed robbers. They were apprehended immediately after their crimes--of course, they were older:

• Tuesday (4.28.09), 3:25 a.m.: An Asian woman standing near Canal Street and Convention Center Boulevard had her purse grabbed from her shoulder by a black guy who fled on foot down Canal toward St. Charles Avenue. Cops caught up with Byron Asmore, 45, and charged him for the crime. He is being held in OPP on $25,000 bond awaiting a hearing 6.13.09.

• Wednesday (4.29.09), 5:27 a.m.: A while guy walking in the 400 block of Bourbon Street (between Conti and St. Louis streets) was approached by a black panhandler who asked him for some money. When the victim took his wallet from his pocket, the panhandler grabbed it and fled on foot up Bourbon, turning on Conti toward N. Rampart Street.

Cops caught Kenneth Wiley, 50, and charged him with simple robbery and flight from an officer. He's sitting in OPP on a $50,500 bond awaiting a hearing 6.30.09.

Did you hear the one about?: You probably read the story this morning in the Times-Picayune about a rape that was not so much a who-done-it as a where-was-it-done.

Seems a 21-year-old Mississippi woman accepted a ride in the 1000 block of Canal Street (near Rampart Street) on Sunday (4.26.09) around 2 a.m. and asked to be taken to a friend's house. But the driver went another direction, then pulled a gun and ordered the woman to lie on the floor of the pick-up truck as he drove. She could see that he drove across the Crescent City Connection to the West Bank. He raped her shortly after that but she doesn't know where they were; he then dropped her off in Gretna.

Because the exact location of the rape can't be determined, neither the NOPD, Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, nor Gretna Police want to touch the case. Bad for crime stats, you know.

In case anyone does investigate, the victim described her attacker as in his late 20's, with a shaved head, and wearing a black T-shirt, blue jeans and tennis shoes. She didn't say whether he was white or black, but did note his pick-up truck was silver or gray with 4 doors and a dark gray interior.

Then, to compound confusion, a similar case happened this morning (4.30.09) just before 5 a.m. when a 19-year-old black girl got into a truck with a black man on Canal Street at Bourbon Street. He drove her to New Orleans East around Chef Menteur Highway and I-10 East where he forced her at gunpoint to perform various sexual acts.

There was no description of the perpetrator or the man's vehicle, but what are the odds? This kind of thing go on all time on Canal Street?

Strike up the band!: The response to our call for support yesterday for The Roots of Music program, has struck an enthusiastic note in the community.

The first to respond with his $20 donation was Maj. Edwin Hosli, commander of the 8th District. You can contribute by clicking here on The Roots of Music.

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

Thom Kahler

SPECIAL: We can fight crime!

The face we put on crime is usually that of a young black boy. And it's accurate: most of the crimes committed in the French Quarter are by young black boys. Boys barely 20, boys in their teens, and boys even younger than that. Think of the two 15-year-olds and 14-year-old who are suspects in the murder of Wendy Byrne.

I can't help but think much of the crime these boys commit is due to being bored, due to lacking a challenge, due to wanting to fit in. It's no excuse, but what if that could be changed?

I hope you read Sheila Stroup's column in the Times-Picayune on Tuesday about The Roots of Music. If you didn't, please read it now.

There's more than a ray of hope as Derrick Tabb, the drummer for Rebirth Brass Band, tells how he formed The Roots of Music which has blossomed into a free after-school program that is changing the lives of 9- to 14-year-olds.

Tabb modeled it after the example of the band director he had growing up in Treme, claiming, "I think he saved my life." Indeed, an avid backer of The Roots of Music calls it an "anti-crime program."

A kid can't blow a trumpet and fire a gun at the same time or tap a drum while robbing someone.

The problem is, though Tabb has just shy of 100 kids enrolled in his program, he has a waiting list of 350 who want to join the band. He tells of one 7-year-old boy who calls him on his cell phone every day and says, "Are you the man with the band? I want to get in that band."

To expand the program, Tabb needs donations of money and musical instruments. All donations are tax-deductible, but that's not as important as giving something.

It's time for us to stop whining about crime in the French Quarter and start doing something positive that might prevent a kid from becoming a criminal.

If all the people who read NOcrimeline.com were to send The Roots of Music just $20 (you'd lose more than that in a robbery), we'd raise thousands of dollars. Of course, you can donate more. (To donate, click on "The Roots of Music" above for complete information.)

Many readers are cops and officials. Wouldn't it be better to prevent crime than fight it? How about it Big Chief? Will you send $20? Major? Lieutenants? Councilmen?

How about the businessmen? Just $500 will fully sponsor a student in the program. That's not too much for a hotel to put up. Or a restaurant. Or even a collection at a favorite bar.

What about the musicians who are in town this weekend for Jazz Fest? What if someone with connections to the Fest hit them up for $500 before they leave town to help create new musicians?

It's time, folks, to do something to try to change the future of the French Quarter. Why not give this a try? I've yet to see anything that inspires more hope. (For full details, click The Roots of Music or send your donation to: The Roots of Music, 929 Euterpe St., New Orleans, LA 70130 or call (504) 460-2611.)

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

Thom Kahler

Crime: Going down? Going up?

It all depends: Robberies in the 8th District (French Quarter, Marigny Triangle, CBD) are down a whopping 55% in the first quarter this year compared to 2008--30 this year verses 67 last year.

It will take a little longer for the public's perception to catch up with reality for them to feel safe in their neighborhoods again. Particularly in light of these incidents, nearly a robbery a day:

• Monday (4.20.09), 9:59 p.m.: A white guy--presumably a performance artist (guitar player? balloon sculptor? the police report didn't say)--sitting near Jackson Square at St. Peter and Chartres streets was robbed of the money in his tip jar by 2 scruffy white dudes wearing only blue jeans and no shirts. One insinuated he had a gun and though the artist struggled, the 2 bums made off with his tips, fleeing on foot.

Saturday (4.25.09) 8th District detectives showed a photo line-up to the victim and he positively identified Fred Miller, 41, as one of the guys who robbed him. Miller was booked into OPP on charges of armed robbery and public intimidation; he's being held on $85,000 bond.

• Wednesday (4.22.09), 10:45 p.m.: A white couple (she 26, he 23) were walking near Chartres and Frenchmen streets when they were robbed by 2 armed black thugs, who made off with the woman's purse and the guy's wallet and cellphone. The thieves took off on foot up Frenchmen toward St. Claude Avenue.

The victims lollygagged for 12 hours before reporting the incident to the NOPD, which gave the crooks plenty of time to get away.

The perps were described as 20 to 25 years old, one 5'7" tall, weighing 145 pounds, with a dark complexion and medium-length dreadlocks, wearing a blue and white polo shirt and baggy blue jeans; the other was 5'9" tall, weighing 155 pounds, with a short haircut, wearing a baseball cap with a white bandana underneath and clad in a baggy T-shirt and baggy blue jeans.

• Thursday (4.23.09), 3:02 a.m.: An Asian man, 40, and a black female, 27, were strolling near St. Philip and Royal streets when a black thug, armed with a blue steel revolver, accosted them and demanded their money. The victims gave him everything, including their cash, 2 cellphones, ATM and debit cards, driver's license, purse--and the foreigner's green card.

The robber fled on foot up St. Philip, past McDonough 15 and onto Bourbon Street, past Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop. He was only described as having a dark complexion, medium-length dreadlocks, wearing a blue and white jersey and blue jeans. (Hmm. Sounds familiar: see the description from the robbery the night before.)

• Friday (4.24.09), 9:40 a.m.: A 59-year-old white man was getting out of his car parked in a lot at Loyola Avenue and Girod Street in broad daylight when a black guy armed with a pistol came up and demanded his money. The victim complied and the robber fled on foot on S. Rampart Street toward Julia Street.

The thief was described as in his 30's, 5'8" tall, weighing 170 pounds, with a medium complexion and a short haircut, wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans.

• Saturday (4.25.09), 1 a.m.: A white couple walking in the 800 block of Common Street (between Baronne and Carondelet streets) were accosted by a trio of black thugs, one of whom slugged the man while his buddies grabbed the woman's purse from her shoulder.

The thieves were all described as in their late teens. One was 6'2" tall, weighing 160 pounds, with a thin build and a light complexion, wearing a white shirt. The second was 5'7 tall, weighing 140 pounds, with a thin build, short afro and brown complexion, wearing a red shirt. The third was 5'9" tall, weighing 140 pounds, with a thin build, brown complexion and shaved head, wearing a lime green shirt.

Teen carjackers nabbed: A pair of teenage black boys were arrested for carjackings over the weekend in the CBD.

• Friday (4.24.09), 9:55 p.m.: A 33-year-old white man returned to his car parked in the 1400 block of Cleveland Avenue (between Marais and S. Liberty streets) and found the rear passenger window busted out. As he was checking the damage, a black punk tapped on the window with a gun and demanded the man get out of his car and give him the keys. The robber told the owner to run and the thief drove off in the car.

• Saturday (4.25.09), 2:51 p.m.: A white woman returning to her car at the same location the day after the previous carjacking was approached by 2 black punks who demanded her car keys. She told them to go to hell and sped off.

Officers who responded to her 911 call apprehended 2 black boys, both 16, and charged them with armed robbery. Because they are juveniles their names can't be released. (Old enough to wield weapons, but too young to have their names in the paper. Anyone remember Wendy Byrne?)

Detectives showed a photo line-up of the 2 boys to the first carjacking victim and he positively identified one of them as the thief who stole his car the night before.

Statistical skeptics: No more had Big Chief Warren Riley released his statistics showing crime--including homicides--was down significantly in the first quarter of this year compared with last year than the skeptics started sniping.

One even conjectured that the reduction in murders--from 43 to 41--might be attributable to "EMT services and emergency room staff doing a better job at saving the lives of people who have been shot."

Others still don't believe the NOPD is fully or accurately reporting the crimes as they happen. Big Chief Riley is responsible for such skepticism.

His failure to set up a uniform system for reporting crimes to the public leaves huge gaps in the information the public receives. Some NOPD districts try to fill the gaps, with varying degree of success. Some pick and choose too carefully the cases they report; others are incredibly vague in their reporting.

It's a simple problem to solve: release the Comstat log reports (like the 8th District used to before Riley put the kibosh on it when he got mad at NOcrimeline). The C-log reports list the date, time and place of the crime, the victims (so you'd know their age, sex and race), a gist of the crime, and description of any suspects. There's absolutely nothing in the reports that would jeopardize an investigation.

And the law says they're supposed to be public information. I guess that makes Riley a criminal for failing to obey the law.

Another way Riley had fudged the crime figures is ordering certain crimes to be reported as "municipal" offenses under the city code rather than "state" offenses under state statutes. The difference is the municipal offenses don't show up in the crime stats; the state crimes do.

We know of at least one case in the 8th District where that occurred (last fall when a teenager attacked an old man on his way to Matassa's Market). No explanation why it was a "municipal" offense and didn't make the crime stats. And if there's one case, who knows how many more there are? So many the skepticism isn't unwarranted.

But you know what? I'm willing to give the NOPD the benefit of the doubt now. It does seem like crime is down--particularly in the French Quarter, and especially in the Lower Quarter.

If any one out there knows of crimes that aren't being reported here, give me the date, time and place. Too often the reports I get from the public are thin on facts and heavy with speculation. I'll do the checking if you take the time to get the rudimentary information.

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

Thom Kahler

Crime returns to Lower Quarter

But to be fair...: There probably have been a few other incidents, but this is the first crime in the Lower French Quarter we can think of since the NOPD began aggressively patrolling there in the wake of the murder of Wendy Byrne in mid-January.

On Sunday (4.19.09) at 2:13 a.m., a white woman standing on the corner of Esplanade Avenue and Decatur Street was robbed by a black punk on a black cruiser-style bicycle who grabbed the victim’s purse from her shoulder. He fled on Esplanade, turning on Royal toward Elysian Fields.

The robber is described as 20 to 25 years old, 5’08” tall, weighing 140 pounds, and wearing a long sleeve black shirt and dark blue jeans.

The Lower Quarter (defined as Dumaine Street to Esplanade) has been virtually crime-free for the past 3 months following Byrne's murder at Dauphine and Gov. Nicholls streets in the early evening of 1.17.09.

The 8th District NOPD almost immediately began patrolling the neighborhood every night with cop cars flashing bright blue lights.

Pleased residents had only one question: What took them so long? They had been asking for the police to employ this strategy for years. Obviously it's an effective tactic.

However, elsewhere: Now the worse crimes seem to be occurring across Canal Street in the CBD or around the tourist honky-tonks of upper Bourbon Street. In one case, 8th District detectives managed to arrest 2 suspects:

• 3:43 a.m. Friday (4.17.09): 2 white men walking in the 1400 block of Canal when 3 black thugs accosted them. One struck one of the victims, knocking him to the ground. Another put his hand inside his shirt, implying he had a gun, and told the victims to empty their pockets. The victims complied and the 3 perps fled on foot toward Claiborne Avenue.

Within 24 hours, detectives booked Brandon Roussell (right), 18, and Tyrell Eli (left), 20, into Central Lockup on 2 counts of armed robbery each and bond was set at $100,000 a piece. The third suspect is still at large.

• 9:10 p.m. Friday (4.17.09): 2 white women, both 25, walking in the 300 block of Notre Dame Street (between Commerce and Tchoupitoulas streets) when they were accosted by a black dude with a pistol wrapped in a blue handkerchief. He demanded their purses. They complied and he fled on foot to Commerce, turning left toward Canal Street.

The robber was described as 25 to 29 years old, 5'10" tall, weighing 150 to 160 pounds, with long dreadlocks, and wearing a dark T-shirt and light-colored blue jeans.

With friends like these: Several victims, who seemed to know their assailants, were taken to the hospital after altercations with their "acquaintances":

• 1:30 a.m. Friday (4.17.09): A white man, whose age wasn't reported, got into an argument with another patron at the Roundup bar, 819 St. Louis St. The other guy grabbed the victim's cane and struck him and fled from the bar on foot.

The suspect was only described as a white male clad in a denim skirt (yes, skirt) and a tank top. Boys will be boys, and sometimes girls too.

• 8:45 p.m. Friday (4.17.09): Change its name all you want, but the old Utopia Night Club (now known as Bourbon Rocks), 227 Bourbon St., was again the scene of a scuffle like the old Utopia was notorious for.

On Friday (4.17.09) at 8:45 p.m. a 52-year-old man got into a dispute with a 51-year-old patron's girlfriend. The woman's boyfriend ended the argument by allegedly cutting the older man on the neck with a broken beer bottle. The victim was taken to University Hospital with non-life-threatening wounds and was in stable condition.

Bouncers in the club subdued the alleged assailant and police arrested Randy Allard (pictured) and charged him with aggravated battery.

Judge Frank Marullo Jr. set Allard free so fast on his own recognizance with a phone call to the jail, the court couldn't even say how much his bond was. It's nice to have friends in high places.

Not the place to be: The old Days Inn at 1630 Canal St. (on the corner of S. Claiborne Avenue), now the Canal Street Hotel, saw its share (or more than its share) of excitement on Sunday (4.19.09).

• 1:03 a.m.: A 20-year-old black guy was standing outside the hotel with a buddy when a dark-colored Ford Expedition pulled up and 2 black dudes opened fire with handguns, shooting the victim in the right hand, abdomen and thigh.

One perp was described as 20 to 22 years old, 5'10" tall, weighing 140 pounds, with a light complexion and chin-length dreadlocks. wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

The other perp was 23 to 25 years old, 6'1" tall, with an athletic build and chin-length dreadlocks, wearing an orange T-shirt and blue jeans.

• 5 p.m.: An 18-year-old black chick was sitting in Room 340 of the hotel when a 14-year-old Baton Rouge girl she knew came in. They got into an argument and the juvenile girl pulled out a knife (some reports say a box cutter, others a Swiss Army knife) and allegedly stabbed the older teenager in the top of her head on on her right forearm.

The young assailant fled on foot but police eventually caught up with her. They arrested Brittany Smith, 14, for aggravated battery and turned her over to juvenile authorities.

Here come the judge: You might have noticed that we've linked all the judges and magistrate court commissioners (who set bonds) to their email addresses on NOcrimeline.com. If you have comments for any of them about these or other cases, let them know what you think. They work for you!

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

Thom Kahler

Crime or no crime?

For art's sake: Rumors have been flying for nearly a week about an artist who was "beaten" in Jackson Square last Friday (4.10.09) morning while he was setting up his exhibit. The incident has been on the TV news several times and other artists have been squawking like magpies about how the NOPD is not taking the "crime" seriously.

Here's what we know so far:

• Gang Hu, known as "Kenny" to the other artists on the Square, was found lying on the ground around 4:30 a.m. that Friday. Another artist who spotted him laying there thought he was passed out drunk--then remembered Kenny didn't drink. Upon investigating, he found Kenny lying in a pool of blood and called 911. The dispatcher logged it as a "medical" call and EMTs were sent.

• 8th District NOPD officers arriving a couple of minutes after the EMTs found Kenny had suffered a single blow to the side of his head and determined neither his money or other valuables were taken.

• Kenny suffered a severe brain injury and has been in a medically induced coma at the hospital. Lt. Eddie Selby, head of the 8th District detectives, has been at the hospital every morning to see if Kenny has emerged from the coma so he can be interviewed to try to determine what happened.

• At this point, there is no evidence it was an assault. The doctor treating Kenny said he sees no evidence the victim suffered an attack. There is speculation that Kenny might have fallen off the stone ledge beneath the wrought iron fence while hanging his artwork.

The artists need to employ their creativity on their masterpieces and give the cops a chance to do what they do best: Figure out what happened after they've gathered the facts.

Ho, ho, ho: A trio of 17-year-old vixens turned their first trick in the French Quarter on Easter night (4.12.09)--though it involved pepper spray rather than sex.

The 3 girls, all black, approached a white man of unreported age who was walking in the 700 block of St. Louis Street (between Bourbon and Royal streets) about 11:30 p.m. As they closed in, one of the girls pulled out a can of pepper spray and allegedly sprayed the victim. Another girl attempted to take the victim's wallet from his pants pocket while he struggled with the noxious fumes.

He resisted long enough for cops to arrive on the scene and arrest for attempted simple robbery:

• Keera Alexander (top), $10,000 bond, sitting in OPP

• Jenee Pedesclaux (middle), $25,000 bond, sent home with an ankle bracelet by Magistrate Harry Cantrell;

• Tomalesha Smith (bottom), $25,000 bond, sitting in OPP

It does raise the question of why officers in the Bourbon Promenade (assigned to stroll this adult playground) didn't notice these "children" out in violation of curfew.

Jackson jive: 8th District detectives arrested Jamal Jackson, 25 (DOB 4.12.84), and charged him with an armed robbery in the Quarter on 2.28.09. He's not to be confused with 5 other Jamal Jacksons who have records in Orleans Parish and all of whom were born in the 1980's--particularly the Jamal Jackson who was arrested Wednesday (4.15.09) and charged with a drive-by shooting death.

The 4.12.84 Jackson is enough trouble as it is. He's charged with 3 armed robberies, domestic battery, and a couple of probation violations. He was charged in the robbery of 2 young black men in their early 20s who were walking in the the 1000 block of St. Louis Street around 3:45 a.m.

Jackson is being held in OPP on $475,000 bond. An alleged accomplice is still on the loose.

Bourbon bash: Just because it was Easter weekend doesn't mean it was any less tame in the touristy stretch of Bourbon Street:

• 10:45 p.m. Saturday (4.11.09): 2 black guys got into an argument at Bourbon and St. Louis Street when one of them pulled what was believed to be a box cutter and slashed the other guy across the back of the neck and on his inner wrist. The assailant fled on foot toward Canal Street and the 31-year-old victim was hauled to the hospital by ambulance for treatment.

Two days later, detectives showed a photo line-up to the victim and he positively identified his assailant. Police arrested Raynell Walsh, 33, and charged him with aggravated battery. He is in OPP in lieu of $25,000 bail.

• 2:35 a.m. Saturday (4.11.09): A white guy inside a club in the 400 block of Bourbon (Jazz Emporium? Beerfest? Wouldn't it be nice if the police report didn't paint all the clubs in a given block with such a broad brush?) was asked to step outside with a black dude who offered to sell him drugs. The white guy declined the offer and started to re-enter the club when another black dude came up and struck him, knocking him to the ground and then taking his wallet.

Both perps fled on foot toward Canal. Both were described as 20 to 25 years old and 5'11" tall. One had a thin build and weighed 170 pounds, and was wearing a white T-shirt and blue jean shorts; the other had a muscular build, short corn rows, and was wearing a gray muscle shirt and blue jean shorts.

...and the CBD too: A black in the 300 block of Tchoupitoulas Street (between Gravier and Natchez streets, about a block from Harrah's Casino) was accosted by another black guy had his hand in his shirt, like he had a weapon. He said he had a gun and demanded the victim's wallet. The perp then hopped into an older model maroon Nissan driven by a black chick and fled.

He was described as in his 20's, 5'9" tall, 145 pounds, with a goatee and shoulder-length dreadlocks, wearing a black T-shirt and dark jean shorts.

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

Thom Kahler

Just when you think it's safe...

Ex-con gunned down: Murders in the Central Business District are rare, but this morning (4.9.09) around 7 a.m., a 30-year-old felon who loved his weed (based on his numerous arrests for possession of marijuana over the years) was shot by someone who apparently knew him.

The victim of the shooting at S. Rampart and Gravier streets was identified by family members as Torey Coleman (pictured).

The NOPD seems to have a good witness with knowledge of the incident, based on what Asst. Chief Marlon Defillo has revealed to the press.

According to Defillo, detectives believe he walked around the French Quarter all night before being summoned to cross Canal Street to the corner when Common Street Bar & Restaurant is. He said Coleman, dressed in a red T-shirt and St. Louis Cardinals ball cap and accompanied by a woman who was not identified, hung around the corner for a while before meeting up with a man Defillo described as "brown-skinned" (we're going to go with "black", just as Coleman was) and dressed in a burgundy-colored jacket, blue jeans and black-and-white tennis shoes.

Their discussion did not go well and Defillo said the man, pulled a pistol of undetermined calibre and fired a single bullet into the back of Coleman's head. The shooter fled on foot and 911 was called at 7:11 a.m. Coleman was dead when paramedics arrived on the scene. The victim and assailant knew each other, Defillo said, and that it was not a random shooting: Coleman was the intended target.

Coleman had just appeared in court on Monday (4.6.09) for a hearing after he was arrested for skipping bail on a pending drug charge.

Then there are the armed robberies: What crime there had been in the last week or so, seemed among the crazy or the related. Then 2 armed robberies in 2 days formed a pattern that's disturbing:

• Yesterday morning (4.8.09), a white woman walking in the 800 block of Chartres Street (between St. Ann and Dumaine streets) at 5:55 a.m. was approached from behind by a black thug with a knife who grabbed her purse off her shoulder.

He fled on foot toward Esplanade Avenue. He was described as 33 to 39 years old, 5'9" tall, weighing 150 pounds, medium complexion, wearing a brown hoodie and blue jeans.

• This morning (4.9.09) a white woman walking in the 700 block of Bienville Street (between Royal and Bourbon streets) was similarly approached by a black man armed with a Swiss Army knife with a 2" to 3" blade who demanded her money.

The suspect is described as 25 to 35 years old, 5'8" tall, weighing 200 lbs., bald, medium complexion with black moles on his cheeks, wearing a bright orange and white polo shirt, hunter green work pants and white tennis shoes.

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

Thom Kahler

Escaped killer caught...finally

On the loose for almost 2 months: Cops finally caught up with Shateek Howard, the teenage murder suspect who's been outfoxing them at every turn.

According to the police report, officers on "routine" patrol came across Howard and his partner-in-crime, Antoine Henry, yesterday (4.1.09) around 5:30 p.m. in the Iberville Housing Project, in the shadow of the French Quarter.

"Routine" patrol? You mean a suspected escaped murdered doesn't merit a full-scale dragnet?"

Howard, 16, is suspected in the shooting death of a 19-year-old black girl Uptown on 9.21.08 and the wounding of her boyfriend. Henry, 19, is suspected in a shooting the day before (9.20.08) in Mid-city.

Sounds like real buddies: "Hey, you got to shoot somebody yesterday--today it's my turn!"

Howard was booked into the juvenile detention center last night on one charge of murder and one of attempted murder, plus a separate charge of armed robbery.

He's back in the care of the same folks whose carelessness on Feb. 11 resulted in Howard escaping while they escorted him from Juvenile Court on Loyola Avenue. He bolted right for the Iberville Projects--happy hunting ground for bad guys--and eluded the NOPD time and again.

He's just lucky his victim was not a white or he'd be in big-people's prison like the kids who supposedly killed the white woman bartender in the Quarter.

Henry was booked into Central Lockup just before midnight last night on 2 counts of aggravated battery (apparently from the shooting he's accused of) and 3 counts of armed robbery (from another incident), plus a charge of possessing crack cocaine and another of resisting arrest for a fight after he was apprehended.

Police reportedly took a stolen semi-automatic pistol off of him when he was arrested and said they will also charge him as being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty in 2007 when he was 17 to carrying a concealed weapon.

Why in the world was this scumbag running loose? He certainly wasn't a good influence on Shateek Howard.

Another CBD robbery: A black couple walking in the 400 block of Gravier Street, near Harrah's Casino, were held up early this morning (4.2.09) around 3 a.m.

A black guy got out of the passenger's side of a parked car and flashed a silver-colored object in his waistband that looked like a gun, demanding their money. They complied and the man fled in the car, which went down Gravier and turned on to Tchoupitoulas Street toward Poydras Street.

The car was described as a brown or beige 2-door late 80's model Buick. The robber was described as 5'9" tall, weighing 130 pounds, with a dark complexion, moustache and shoulder-length braids, wearing a long white T-shirt and blue jeans.

Pursesnatchers nabbed: Two episodes of pursesnatchings at the exact same time (8:40 p.m.) in different parts of the 8th District last night (4.1.09) resulted in arrests:

• 700 block of Royal Street (behind St. Louis Cathedral): A white woman was walking along when she was approached by a black dude who panhandled her for money. When she refused, he tried to grab her purse from her shoulder, but she fought back, giving a security guard (from where? Rouse's Market at St. Peter Street?) time to intervene. Officers arrived on the scene and arrested Jarred Simmons, 17, charging him with attempted simple robbery.

• 100 block of S. Peters Street (near Harrah's Casino): A white woman walking along the street was accosted by a black man who grabbed her purse from her shoulder. He was grabbed by a witness as he tried to flee and was held until officers arrived. They arrested Purnell Madison, 61, and charged him with pursesnatching.
  

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

Thom Kahler