Shoulda known better

Every time I start to think, "Man, it's quiet...is the NOPD withholding reports, or what?" all hell breaks loose--and with weird stuff too. Someone go check the moon.

Not everyone in the Quarter is your friend: So it's 5 a.m., you've been drinking all night on Bourbon Street, and this young woman asks you to take a walk in the alley. Not smart, dude, not smart at all.

But that's what happened Saturday morning (6.13.09). A 29-year-old guy was walking a 18-year-old girl to her car in the 1000 block of Conti Street (between Burgundy and N. Rampart streets). As they neared the vehicle, the chick makes a cellphone call. Almost out of nowhere, this black dude comes up from the rear and knocks the white guy in the back of the head with a handgun, knocking him to the ground, and lifts his wallet.

Police caught up with Natasha Eiden and arrested her for armed robbery. They're still looking for her accomplice, the black dude, in his 20's, 5'10" tall, weighing 160 pounds, with short hair, a light complexion and cleanshaven.

This incident bears some resemblance to an episode on Tuesday (6.9.09) when a 40-year-old guy met this woman in the French Quarter and they exchanged phone numbers.

She soon texted him and asked him to come to her room at the New Orleans Inn on Chef Menteur Highway, which he did. He wasn't there long before there was a knock on the door. When he opened it, he was looking down the barrel of a revolver which was held to his head by a guy. He fought the gunman and the woman bit him on the arm. They fled with the victim's possessions: money, watch and car keys.

Not friendly either: You wonder how something like this happens. A 29-year-old white guy was accosted Sunday night (6.14.09) around 8:30 p.m. at Madison and Decatur streets, near Tujague's by 2 Hispanic men. They pushed him to the ground and one held an "unknown object" to his head and anally raped him. Then the duo stole cash from the victim's pocket and fled.

How does something like that happen in such a busy area? The 8th District has no more details since the case is being handled by the NOPD sex squad.

The day before (6.13.09), a white woman who went to the casino with a Hispanic man was taken shortly after 2 a.m. to the Canal Street Hotel (the old Days Inn) at 1630 Canal St. There, she was forced to perform sexual acts by her evening's companion.

Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?: Gonna run, or try to, apparently. Sunday evening (6.14.09), Brandy Khamistos, 24, who had been hauled to the 8th District station in the 300 block of Royal Street around 7:30 p.m. by 2 officers tried to slip away from them by slipping out of her handcuffs.

One officer fell and injured his arm while pursuing the escapee. The other officer tasered the skinny girl and quickly had her back in custody.

The irony is, she was arrested initially on charges of theft and illegal possession of stolen things, but the magistrate found there was no probably cause to hold her on those charges. He did find cause on resisting an officer and escape; she's sitting in the hoosegow in lieu of $7,500 bond on those charges.

Shiner: After a number of complaints of shoeshine "boys" robbing patrons, the police finally nabbed one early Friday (6.12.09) morning.

Around 12:55 a.m., a white guy was in the 100 block of Bourbon Street when a black guy came up and started to shine his shoes. Then when he asked for a tip and the victim took cash out of his pocket, the shiner grabbed the dough from the victim's hand and fled.

Officers on patrol saw the incident and apprehended Reginald Dove, 48, charging him with simple robbery and resisting an officer. He's in OPP on $17,500 bond.

The day before (6.11.09), a black woman walking in the 100 block of Baronne Street around 2:10 p.m. had her purse snatched by a black guy who fled toward Poydras Street.

He was described as in his mid-30's, 5'7" tall, weighing 165 pounds, with a dark complexion and short hair, wearing a white shirt and blue jeans.

This morning (6.15.09) around 2 a.m., a white man was near Dauphine and Ursulines streets when a black guy came up and struck him, then took his cellphone from his pocket.

The thief is described as in his mid-20's, 5'9" tall, weighing 160 pounds, wearing a black tank top.

The answer is "no": Just after midnight on Sunday morning (6.14.09) a black girl standing in the 700 block of St. Louis Street (between Bourbon and Royal streets) sauntered over to a black dude sitting in his car and asked him if he would play some "bounce" music on his car stereo. Apparently he had different tastes in music and pulled a pistol and pointed it at her, then fled in his car.

Officers apprehended Adrion Allen, 19, and charged him with aggravated assault. He apparently posted his $10,000 bail and got out of jail, since the sheriff has no picture of him.

See you whenever: Nathaniel Payton didn't show up for court last Friday (6.12.09) when he was due to be arraigned on murder charges--never mind that there is a $1.5 million bond on his head.

No big deal, said Judge Lynda Van Davis, her court was closed that day, she said. (I didn't hear of any holiday, did you?) And so she reset his arraignment for Wednesday (6.17.09) and told her clerk to mail a notice to the defendant at the address on his bond. Yeah, sure--like a party invitation.

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.

Am I the only one who's a little nervous about this vicious thug roaming the streets of the French Quarter? Shouldn't the cops have picked him up by now and thrown him back in jail? Surely the drug trade isn't that good that he'd waltz out again as he has before.

You can let the judge know what you think by clicking on her name above.

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

Thom Kahler