The long arm of the law

Not long enough: Buffa's Bar & Lounge--the scene a few months ago of a number of meetings on combating crime in the neighborhood--itself fell victim to crime early Friday (7.31.09) morning.

A robber walked into the bar at Esplanade Avenue and Burgundy Street around 12:56 a.m. armed with a pistol and demanded money from the bartender. Buffa's--which takes only cash, making it a prime target for a robber--probably had plenty, though an amount wasn't specified on the police report. The bartender complied and the robber fled on foot down Burgundy, turning on Pauger Street headed for St. Claude Avenue.

8th District detectives obtained an arrest warrant on Monday (8.3.09) for Darwin Hunter, 26, after he was positively identified in a photographic lineup. He is described as black, 5'9" tall, with a thin build, wearing a black shirt, black pants and a red baseball cap. He has a long criminal history, including male prostitution.

Those meetings at Buffa's back in February--in the wake of Wendy Byrne's murder--lured such anti-crime luminaries as Big Chief Riley and District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro. Riley promised increased patrols--the vaunted "blue light specials--and for a while their presence was highly visible and crime dropped dramatically.

But now, even with increased millions of dollar designated for additional patrols, the blue lights are virtually extinguished and crime is slowly creeping back into the darkness.

Long enough: It took a while, but cops finally hauled 3 long-time fugitives back to court to face charges going back to early 2008. (It also took a while for NOcrimeline to learn of these arrests when we checked our warrant file--the NOPD is not big on crowing about their successes):

• Dornelius Brown, 19: Though a warrant was issued by 8th District NOPD detectives on 3.28.08 for 2 armed robberies on 3.5.08 in the French Quarter, it took nearly a year to take him into custody.

At the time the warrant was issued, Brown was in the Tangipahoa Parish jail. He wasn't booked into OPP until 2.11.09; by that time he had picked up an aggravated battery and 2 attempted armed robbery charges to go along with the 2 armed robbery charges he was initially wanted for.

Brown is charged with the armed robberies on 3.5.08 of 2 white men, one at Royal and Orleans streets at at 9:05 p.m., and the other in the 900 block of Bienville Street (between Dauphine and Burgundy streets) at 9:12 p.m.

Brown is sitting in OPP under $700,000 bond awaiting further court action in Judge Keva Landrum-Johnson's courtroom on 9.11.09.

• Randall Campo, 41: Police arrested him 4.4.08 almost immediately after he and an accomplice snatched the purse from a woman walking with a male companion in the 100 block of N. Peters Street (near Canal Street) around 1:25 a.m.

He made 8 or so appearances in court, but as his case dragged on, he apparently got tired of showing up. He missed his 10.7.08 trial date. A warrant was issued, but the cops didn't catch up with him again until 2.15.09. His downfall, apparently, was bad driving because they booked him with a slew of reckless-type driving charges.

His case picked up speed in the courts under the new DA and he pled guilty to pursesnatching on 6.24.09 before Judge Keva Landrum-Johnson and is awaiting sentencing 8.14.09.

(His alleged accomplice, Mark Melerine, 35, is wanted on a warrant in this case and possibly in several other cases, including a pursesnatching in broad daylight in the 1300 block of Bourbon Street on 4.29.08. He is described as a white male, 5'11" tall, weighing 180 pounds.)

• Andrew Norris, 23: Norris is another one who got tired of the plodding pace of justice in Orleans Parish and simply walked away from his own trial.

The magic number seems to be "8" because that's about how many times Norris appeared in court before he, according to court records, "left court before his matter was concluded" on 5.6.09. He didn't stay on the lam long before he was arrested again on 6.8.09 and is now being held without bond.

Norris was charged with pursesnatching for grabbing a woman's purse in the 1000 block of Iberville Street on 11.28.08 around 1:15 a.m. after she was about to give him a dollar after he asked for money.

Norris is due to stand trial on this charge and for carrying a concealed weapon on 8.18.09 in Judge Darryl Derbigny's courtroom.

Guilty, more or less: A number of long, drawn-out cases from last year have finally found justice, more or less:

• Armed robberies, 4.13.08: A pair of suspects arrested in 2 armed robberies that happened within 20 minutes of each other on Decatur Street met totally different fates in Criminal District Court.

Kalef Bell (left), now 20, pled guilty early last month to 3 counts of armed robbery with a firearm. His alleged accomplice, Reginald Carter (right), 22, chose a jury trial on 2 counts of armed robbery with a firearm, but on 7.16.09 the jurors found him not guilty on both charges.

Carter was freed from custody in OPP after being locked up for 15 months.

Judge Terry Alarcon sentenced Bell on the 3 charges to 10 years and 1 day in prison "without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension" of the sentence.

• Armed robberies, 10.30.08: In another case of 2 armed robberies pulled off within less than 30 minutes of each other, the 2 suspects also had different fates.

Manuel McDonald (left), now 20, and William Gates (right), 21, were each charged with 2 counts of armed robbery after 2 men in a gray Chevy Malibu stuck up 2 black men walking in the CBD just after midnight, one at Common Street and O'Keefe Avenue, and the other at Tulane and Loyola avenues.

McDonald pled guilty last March to 2 charges reduced to 1st-degree armed robbery and was sentenced by Judge Terry Alarcon to 3 years in prison "without benefit of probation, parole or suspension" of sentence.

Gates' dragged on for another 3 months until he pled guilty in late June to 2 counts of the lesser charge of being an accessory to armed robbery, as the alleged getaway car driver. He was given a 5-year suspended sentence by Judge Alarcon.

• Carjacking, 8.10.08: Kind of a split decision on this one, a case that might be called "Dumb and Dumber" meets "Deal Or No Deal."

A pair of would-be robbers on bicycles, one with a gun, approached a driver getting out of his car in the 800 block of Dumaine Street and demanded his car keys. But when the car's manual transmission baffled the 2 dunces, the victim offered them money and they took the deal, fleeing on their bikes. The victim hopped in his car and followed them. Police caught up with Kendrick Burbank (right), now 28, at Bourbon and Ursulines streets. Police later picked up Keith Perkins (left), then 17, as his accomplice.

Burbank pled guilty last May to armed robbery and was sentenced by Judge Keva Landrum-Johnson to 10 years in prison, denying him an early release for good time.

On 7.24.09 Perkins pled guilty when the charge was reduced to attempted armed robbery. Judge Landrum-Johnson gave him a 3-year sentence, but since it runs at the same time as an earlier 3-year, 6-month sentence she gave him, also for attempted armed robbery, it's kind of like a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card for this crime.

This little scumball just turned 18 and has been racking up frequent felon points since he was 17 (and probably before as a juvenile). Don't be surprised to see him laying in the street one of these days with bullet holes in him.

• Armed robbery, 1.18.09: Not so long, not so drawn out, but a helluva long sentence for stealing a coat.

Curtis Ray, 19, was arrested after he took a jacket from a 66-year-old man getting out of his car around 10 a.m. in the CBD as kind of a consolation prize in an attempted carjacking.

Ray, who was holding the coat when police caught up with his getaway car, pled guilty 7.22.09 to armed robbery. Judge Laurie White sentenced him to 10 years and 1 day in prison.

Last year, Ray beat a rap on 2 armed robberies and an attempted armed robbery when the DA decided not to prosecute the case.

Not all there: Sometimes there's just not enough evidence--or witnesses--to prosecute a case. The DA refused to prosecute these cases recently:

• Aggravated battery, 2.7.09: The DA refused to prosecute Byron Johnson, 37, who took umbrage when a guy slapped his girlfriend on her butt in the 200 block of Royal Street and apparently got so mad he wound up allegedly stabbing his girlfriend's assailant in the neck with a pocketknife.

• Pursesnatching, 4.19.09: Though the DA dropped the charge of pursesnatching stemming from an incident at Decatur Street and Esplanade Avenue, Allen Stribling Jr., now 20, pled guilty last Wednesday (7.29.09) to 11 charges ranging from burglary to theft from March to May and was sentenced to 6 years in prison.
  

• Armed robberies, 5.4.09: The DA dropped charges last Tuesday (7.28.09) against Jerry Corner, now 19, who was identified as the perp in the robbery of 4 elderly women walking in the 1000 block of Chartres Street.

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

Thom Kahler

"...and that's the way it is"

No news is good news: Back when people wondered why the media didn't report more "good" news versus "bad" news, Walter Cronkite supposedly explained to one inquirer (paraphrasing): "The definition of news is that which deviates from the norm. Thank God, the good is still the norm that outweighs the bad." Based on that, we have very little news:

A few robberies a couple of weeks ago:

• Thursday (7.16.09): A crook bit off more than he could chew he tried to sell drugs to 2 undercover NOPD officers around 2 a.m. in the 800 block of St. Louis Street (between Bourbon and Dauphine streets). He called the 2 over to his car to try to transact business. When they reached into the car, the perp put his hand in his waist band, implying he had a weapon and demanded their money.

They gave him more than he bargained for and arrested Darrell Johnson, 23, and charged him with attempted armed robbery and attempted distribution of cocaine.

• Thursday (7.16.09): A white guy trying to help out a panhandler around 4 a.m. by giving him $20 lost the whole $60 he drew out of the Chase Bank ATM at Bienville and Royal streets when the panhandler allegedly grabbed the whole wad of cash and attempted to flee. But while a fool and his money are soon parted, cops and robbers rarely are. Officers observed the incident and apprehended Walter Weems, 54, and charged him with simple robbery.
  

• Friday (7.17.09): A 49-year-old white man was walking in the 700 block of Commerce Street (between Julia and Notre Dame streets) on his way to a nearby grocery store just after 11 p.m. when 2 black guys came up and pointed a gun at him and demanded his money. He complied and they fled on foot to a nearby vehicle.

Both suspects were described as 20 to 25 years old and 5'11" tall, one weighing 170 pounds, the other 210 pounds, one wearing long denim shorts and a purple LSU baseball cap and the other wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

Then more 10 days later:

• Monday (7.27.09): A white guy walking in the 700 block of Toulouse Street (between Royal and Bourbon streets) around 1:15 a.m. had money grabbed from his hand by a black guy.

But cops heard him yelling and apprehended the would-be thief. They charged Reginald C. Carter, 37, and charged him with simple robbery.

• Monday (7.27.09): A white woman in the 600 block of St. Philip Street (between Chartres and Royal streets) around 6:45 p.m. had her purse stolen by a black guy who grabbed it off her shoulder.

Two bystanders pursued the thief and led police to David J. Bentley, 29, who was arrested and charged with pursesnatching.

• Tuesday (7.28.09): A black dude walked into the Three-Legged Dog bar at 400 Burgundy St. (corner of Conti Street) at 3:27 a.m. and pulled a rifle from beneath his black trenchcoat and demanded money from the bartender. She complied and he fled on foot.

The robber was described as 5'8" to 5'10" tall, thin build, light complexion, and was wearing a black cap in addition to the trenchcoat.

Did you notice that most of the culprits in these robberies were apprehended shortly after the crimes occurred? I'm going to take that as testament to the prowess of the 8th District cops, and that it's not any devious attempt by the NOPD to downplay crime in the French Quarter.

Strangely enough, though, according to the NOPD's crime map, there were exactly the same number of robberies (37) in the 8th District this year and last year in the same time period, Jan. 1 to July 14.

Bar robber rounded up: Kerry Paul, 28, who 8th District detectives say was responsible for a string of bar robberies, was booked into Central Lockup today (7.29.09) at 12:30 p.m.

He's charged with 2 counts of armed robbery, one count each of aggravated assault with a firearm, illegal use of a weapon, illegal carrying of a weapon, and aggravated battery for a shooting that occurred somewhere along the way. Bond has not yet been set on any of these charges.

Paul was reportedly arrested yesterday by Jefferson Parish Sheriff's deputies on a warrant issued by the NOPD.

Paul is believed responsible for these robberies:

• Donna's Bar, 800 N. Rampart St., 6.25.09;
• The John, 2040 Burgundy St., 6.29.09;
• R-Bar, 1431 Royal St., 7.3.09;
• Melvin's Bar, 2112 St. Claude Ave., 7.4.09.
  

One caught, one on the loose: Arthur Johnson, 32, one of 2 inmates who busted out of the House of Detention last week (7.21.09) was apprehended today (7.29.09) in St. Landry Parish after more than a week on the run.

He was returned to Orleans Parish and locked up. A woman named Annice Falkins, 22, described as his girlfriend, and a man named Kevin Falkins, 26, not described at all, were also arrested and charged as accessories to escape for allegedly harboring the fugitive. Reports said Johnson was in their bathroom when he was taken into custody. Caught red-handed, so to speak?

The Criminal Sheriff's office never acknowledged that Johnson and his cohort, Lester Jones, ever made a hasty exit from OPP 8 days ago through a door with a flimsy lock and no alarm.

Jones, 26, considered the far more dangerous of the 2 because he was just sentenced to 15 years in prison, is still on the lam. He is described as 6'1" tall, weighing 190 pounds. There is a $5,000 award offered for his capture. Turn the bum in, make a buck on your buddy.

Kind of scary: The worst part is, this creep is on the streets again. Just before midnight on Sunday a week ago (7.19.09) a woman was walking in the 600 block of Dauphine Street (between Toulouse and St. Peter streets) when a white guy pulled up beside her in his car and pointed a gun at her.

She alerted a nearby cop who pursued and apprehended Brian McDow, 45, and charged him with aggravated assault with a firearm. His bond was set at only $1,000 by Magistrate Marie Bookman and he managed to get out of jail on 7.26.09.

Scary too: You don't expect shoplifters to be so violent, but a clerk at an unnamed store in the 1000 block of Common St. (between University Place and S. Rampart Street) was attacked by a black woman he tried to dissuade from shoplifting. She allegedly swung a boxcutter at him, cutting him on the hand.

Cops apprehended Lokea Morgan, 25, and charged her with aggravated battery and theft of goods $300 to $500. She is being held on $25,000 bond.

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

Thom Kahler

Fugitives among us

Escapees from OPP: Almost 48 hours later 2 inmates who escaped from OPP are still on the loose. Maybe they're somewhere near you--but who knows?

Sheriff Marlin Gusman is downplaying how dangerous these felons are, saying they're only wanted on drug charges. Yeah--big time dealing of dope in the city over the years. And though he said the escapees are "not the most violent type of people," one was charged with attempted murder. Sounds pretty violent to me.

The 2 escapees--Lester Jones (left), 26, and Arthur Johnson (right), 32--exited the House of Detention on Tuesday (7.22.09) around 9 p.m. through a fire exit that had only one lock and no alarm.

Installing an alarm "is one of the things were going to look at implementing on that door," Gusman said with his usual lack of enthusiasm while exhibiting his crime fighting acumen.

Jones is described as 6'1" tall, weighing 190 pounds. Johnson is 5'10" tall, weighing 170 pounds. Oh, did I mention they're black? Neither did the Times-Picayune nor the sheriff.

And the sheriff wouldn't tell what neighborhoods they came from because the escape is an "ongoing investigation." Huh? Just because they busted out of jail doesn't mean they won't pass by their mama's and 'em.

Don't you think citizens would keep a little bit better eye out for them if they thought they were from their neighborhood. You wouldn't want to run into these guys on the street or in the Walmart parking lot if they decided they liked your ride and figured it would get them further down the road.

Jones had every reason to want to get out of town. Just Monday (7.21.09)--the day before the escape--Judge Keva Landrum-Johnson tacked on 3 additional years to the 12-year sentence she gave him in June after a jury found him guilty of dealing crack cocaine.

Gusman has asked other law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the 2 who are piling up frequent-felon miles. The U.S. Marshal's Service has posted a reward of $1,000 each for the 2. But considering how poorly witnesses fare in this city, that won't buy much Kevlar.

And I haven't seen any added patrols coming through my neighborhood searching for these fleeing felons, have you?

The whole episode points out how ineffective Gusman is as criminal sheriff. First, he bungles the office's computer system. Now, he can't generate any enthusiasm for capturing these convicts.

Let's hope a suitable candidate comes forward to replace this last of Marc Morial's henchmen. It's a great job--no term limits and about to be combined with the civil sheriff's office (and salary, presumably).

How about Ron Forman? He already runs the zoo.

Bumbling bank robbery: Whitney Bank at 601 Poydras St. was robbed Tuesday (7.21.09) morning in a scenario more fitting of Ignatius J. Reilly.

The robber entered the bank around 9:15 a.m. and stuck his pistol in the bank guard's back, took his weapon, and made him lie down on the floor. So much for vigilance. Then, according to the police report, he went to the teller and "demanded cash or whatever money she had." You mean, like pesos or something?

She gave him an undisclosed amount of money and he took off running down Camp Street toward Lafayette Square, strewing money from the exploded cash pack, dripping red dye and dollars, dropping the security guard's gun, and reportedly his own cellphone.

He was described as a black man, late 30's to early 40's, 6' tall, weighing 220 to 230 pounds, wearing a black baseball cap with a gold logo, a black short-sleeve button-down shirt and blue jeans.

DEA agent's killer: The man who beat a federal Drug Enforcement Administration agent to death last August has pled guilty to 2nd-degree murder of a federal agent in exchange for only a 30-year prison sentence.

Thomas J. Byrne, 40, of Houston was in town for a crime prevention conference and had gone out to dinner and to a few bars on Bourbon Street before wandering into deepest, darkest New Orleans.

About 12:45 a.m. on 8.28.09 he wound up at Elysian Fields and St. Claude avenues, near Gene's Po-Boys which had video surveillance cameras outside. The cameras' tapes showed Byrne walking down Elysian Fields followed by Ameal Parker Jr. (pictured). Less than 5 minutes later, Parker is shown coming back to the sandwich shop and trying to use Byrne's credit card from an ATM there.

Parker, 47, admitted to beating and robbing Byrne, but said he did not intend to kill him.

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

Thom Kahler

Crimes reported in June

We've compiled the latest list of crimes reported during June 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.

Can't we all just get along?

Violence abounds: Usually it's robberies of one sort or another that plague the French Quarter, but in the last few days it's ill-natured thugs pulling guns, knives, and broken bottles on one another:

• Sunday (7.12.09): A white guy parking his car near St. Ann and Burgundy streets was accosted by a Hispanic man and white chick. The foreigner pulled a gun on the car's owner, but the driver was unimpressed and drove off.

A short time later, 8th District cops apprehended Roberto Jaquez, 21, and Stacey May Junker (no, really--that's not a name James Lee Burke made up), 20, and charged both with aggravated assault with a firearm. They also charged Jaquez with illegal possession of stolen firearms and illegally carrying a weapon with a controlled dangerous substance.

He is being held on $20,000 bond set by Magistrate Gerard Hansen. Junker is being held on a $15,000 bond set by Magistrate Marie Bookman. Sounds like mighty little in both cases for 2 miscreants who seem to want to rob or shoot someone.

• Tuesday (7.14.09): Two black men waiting at bus stop near Carondelet and Canal streets around 6:30 a.m. were threatened by a 27-year-old black dude with a broken glass bottle.

They were not injured but police arrested Alemseged Zeray and charged him with aggravated assault and simple battery. Magistrate Anthony Russo set his bond at $4,000.

• Tuesday (7.14.09): A black man was walking in the 600 block of Frenchmen Street (between Chartres and Royal streets) around 5:30 p.m. when a white guy bumped into him and started an argument. The white thug allegedly pulled a knife and threatened the black fella.

That was enough for police to arrest Ross Colomb, 29, and charge him with aggravated assault. Magistrate Anthony Russo put a $3,500 bond on him.

Colomb beat another aggravated assault charge this past February when the DA had to drop the case because the victim didn't show up in court.

• Wednesday (7.15.09): A white guy standing near Bourbon and Bienville streets around 4:45 a.m. got into an argument with 2 black guys. One of the black guys clobbered him with a bottle, after which he and his buddy took off running toward the river.

Police caught up with them and charged Herbert Jones (left), 24, with aggravated battery and Justin Brooks (right), also 24, with a municipal charge of battery, which usually amounts to a slap on the wrist. Jones was being held on a $10,000 bond imposed by Magistrate Gerard Hansen. Brooks got out of jail later in the day on a $1,000 bond. Jones got out sometime today.

Hot time in the old town: You'd think a high school teacher from Baton Rouge wouldn't be so overwhelmed by the big city that he'd try torching his hotel.

But supposedly video surveillance cameras at the Westin Hotel in Canal Place showed Kelly Messenger, 33, setting fire to a sofa in the lobby Saturday (7.11.09) morning just after 5 a.m. before getting on the elevator to the 11th floor where he was staying. Hotel security staff put out the fire before 12 firefighters arrived.

Messenger was charged with aggravated arson. He must have friends in high places; he was out of jail quicker than you can imagine. And the court record only says, "A ROR (release on own recognizance) bond was issued--amount and by whom is unknown." Very strange indeed that court officials don't know what happened to him.

List keeps growing: Remember that guy they charged with all the burglaries in the CBD last week?

Well, Saturday (7.11.09) the police leveled another 5 charges of burglary against Robert Escobedo, to go along with the previous 15 charges. He supposedly confessed to 11 burglaries of businesses and one of a car.

He's sitting in OPP on $590,000 bond.

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

Thom Kahler

Shootout in the Quarter

No hush in the night: Wild, wild night last night (Sunday 7.12.09) just before midnight. Reading the various reports of what went on, it's hard to tell how many shots were fired, where all the shooting happened, or who the victim was. The NOPD says apprehensions were made, but don't say how many were arrested.

The official NOPD incident report says: 8th District officers arrived on the scene at 11:53 p.m. after receiving a call of gunshots fired at Bienville and Clinton streets (Clinton's essentially an alley running from Bienville to Iberville Street, between Decatur and N. Peters streets).

It goes on to say: "Witnesses observed several black males firing handguns at the location. Responding officers observed several black males fleeing the scene. These subjects were apprehended and are considered suspects in this case."

It also reports one gun was recovered near the scene. Police learned later that a 16-year-old black boy was taken in a private car to a local hospital with gunshot wounds to the abdomen and shoulder, and was undergoing surgery.

Another police report said the patrons were observed fleeing from Club Hush at Bienville and Decatur. The club is notorious for the violence that has flowed from there in the past year. French Quarter residents won an order from the alcohol beverage board last month that will force the club to shut its doors at the end of August. As a stipulation for allowing it to stay open for almost another 3 months, it was to institute all sorts of security measures, including posting off-duty cops outside, station 5 bouncers inside, scan all patrons with a metal detector as they entered. Sounds like that wasn't very effective last night.

Just for its sheer narrative energy, here's an eyewitness report from a correspondent of ours who works at a nearby club:

"Nothing like a good old-fashion(ed) wild, wild west shootout.

"We heard people screaming and running down Chartres near Iberville. Some guy walks by telling us there was a shootout on Decatur. We didn't hear any shots at all. He said some guy almost got hit crossing the street. He yelled, 'hey, asshole' (and) a bunch of Negroes jumped out and shot at him. Dunno if he was hit or not.

"Seconds later we hear 4-5 shots by Iberville and Decatur. An unmarked unit (NOPD police vehicle) flies up on the sidewalk in front of the old Rotolos (pizzeria), draws his gun and gets a Negro in a white T (shirt) on the ground. The cop hits the ground too for about 10 seconds. He throws him in the car and reverses down Iberville to Chartres.

"Two cops almost collide on Iberville and Chartres. A few more shots go off at Bienville and Chartres. I think a police SUV hit the building on that corner. One officer on a horse came by; we pointed him in the direction and he went. A few more shots.

"They apprehended 4 (need to find about 15 more) and the gun. We called a few cops on their cellphones to tip them off because 2 guys involved walked by us and was pointed out by some people. They met up with 4 others in front of Unique's Grocery (Unique General Store) on Royal (127 Royal St.) and got into a United cab and left.

"Three others continuously drove by in a red car till I finally left--pistol in hand, of course. Great New Orleans night."

Speaking of bars: Despite the 8th District putting out an arrest warrant on a guy they think robbed 4 bars in the past couple of weeks, another bar was robbed last Monday (7.6.09).

The robber struck at 11:50 p.m. at St. Charles Bar & Billiards, 736 St. Charles Ave. He pulled a pistol and demanded money from the female bartender.

The robber was described as a black male, 20 to 25 years old, 5'8" tall, weighing 150 pounds, with a thin build and light complexion, wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants. The description is close to those given in the other robberies, in which 8th District detectives believe Kerry Paul was the perpetrator, but word is, the detectives don't think it's related to the 4 in the Marigny Triangle and the Quarter.

Other robberies: Several "simple" robberies over the weekend terrified local residents:

• Sunday (7.12.09): A white woman walking near St. Philip and Bourbon streets around 11:10 p.m. was accosted by a white guy who pushed her against the wall and demanded her purse. She complied and he fled on foot on St. Philip toward the river.

He was described as 20 to 25 years old, 5'5" tall, weighing 140 pounds, with a thin build, unshaven and bald, wearing a white shirt and dark pants. The police later released this picture (above) from a private video surveillance tape from a residence on St. Philip. About all it does is, yes, confirm the robber was white and bald.

• Saturday (7.11.09): A Hispanic man working at Fat Catz Music Club, 440 Bourbon St., around 3:20 a.m. was robbed of his cellphone when 2 black dudes struck him and then attempted to flee on foot.

Police apprehended Jeffery Turner (pictured), 25, and a 29-year-old black man for whom the court and jail have no record of, and charged them with simple robbery.

• Friday (7.10.09): A black man walking near St. Joseph and Carondelet streets in the CBD was approached by another black man who implied he had a gun and demanded money. The victim fled and the suspect got away in a gray van which sped off on Howard Street toward Lee Circle. The would-be robber is described as 40 to 44 years old, 5'3" tall, weighing 170 pounds, wearing a multi-colored shirt and blue jeans.
  

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

Thom Kahler

Drink at your own risk

More bars robbed: More bars were targeted over the holiday weekend, but now 8th District detectives have pinned a bull's eye on Kerry Paul, a 28-year-old black thug with prior arrests for armed robbery, felon with a firearm, and drugs.

He got a 3-year sentence in November, 2007 that was supposed to keep him locked up for the full term--but apparently he's out and about and has resumed his old ways.

(If Sheriff Marlin Gusman hadn't botched up access to booking photos of miscreants on his computer, we'd be able to show you a picture of Paul. The sheriff just doesn't know how he's stifling justice.)

Court records show Paul once lived at 1514 Frenchmen St.; if that's his mama's and he's still staying there, it puts him very close to some of the bars that have been robbed recently.

In the last 10 days, at least 4 bars have been robbed in the French Quarter and Marigny Triangle. The 2 latest:

• Friday (7.3.09): An employee taking out the trash at the R Bar, 1431 Royal St. (corner of Kerlerec Street), just before 6 a.m. was approached by black thug who pulled out a pistol and walked the employee back inside. The bartender saw the would-be robber and ran to the rear of the bar. The commotion sent the thug fleeing empty-handed.

The hoodlum was described as being under 35 years old, 5'10" tall, weighing 150 pounds, wearing a black shirt and blue jeans.

• Saturday (7.4.09): Just before 6 p.m., the black robber entered Melvin's Bar, 2112 St. Claude Ave. (right near Frenchmen Street), and pulled a pistol and demanded the bartender hand over the money from the cash register and safe. The bartender complied and the robber fled on foot.

It was at this location, Detective Willie Jenkins developed Kerry Paul as a suspect. Now the police are trying to locate bartenders and patrons who were witnesses at the various bars to show them a photo line-up with Paul in it.

In the earlier bar robberies:

• 6.25.09 at Donna's, N. Rampart and St. Ann streets, the robber was described as black, 20 to 30 years old, 5'9" tall, weighing 145 pounds, with a light complexion.

• 6.29.09 at The John, Burgundy and Frenchmen streets, the robber was described as black, in his mid 20's, 5'8" tall, weighing 180 pounds, clean shave, wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans.

Don't trek to Toulouse: Black men walking in the 900 block of Toulouse Street (between Dauphine and Burgundy streets) have been the victims of robberies over the weekend:

• Saturday (7.4.09): A 23-year-old man was approached from behind at 5:20 a.m. by a black dude who stuck a gun in his back and demanded his money and car keys. The victim gave them up and the robber fled on Toulouse toward the river.

The robber was described as 18 to 30 years old, 5'9" tall, 150 pounds, with short hair, wearing a black T-shirt.

• Monday (7.6.09): A black man in the same block of Toulouse was approached from behind at 3:40 a.m. by a black fellow who stuck what was thought to be a gun in his back and demanded money and his watch. The victim complied and the robber fled toward the river, as in the earlier robbery on Toulouse.

The thug is described as 22 to 30 years old, 5'10" tall, weighing 230 pounds, wearing a blue baseball cap, and dark blue T-shirt and dark pants.

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

Thom Kahler

Murder? What murder?

Yes, there was one: Some may wonder why we didn't jump all over the murder at the Canal Street Hotel earlier this week.

If we consider NOcrimeline's mission as alerting residents of the 8th District to crime so they can take precautions against becoming victims, we figured the Canal Street Hotel as a place where our subscribers wouldn't be caught dead. Unless, of course, you went there to score drugs or pick up a hooker--and in our demographic view, that eliminates most of you.

You could almost see this tragedy coming. When I started to compile a list of police reports of crimes from the 1630 Canal St. address of the hotel, it became so voluminous I abandoned the project. Every time I read a report about a crime in "the 1600 block of Canal," I said "I'll bet it was the no-tell hotel"--and was universally right. The place is tantamount to the Iberville Housing Project--with neon.

When comments on TripAdvisor list it as "terrible" 65 out of 78 times, you get the idea. Expedia advertised it at "$38 a night"--those are flophouse rates. Many visitors talked about bums sleeping in the hallways, drug dealers roaming at will, hookers hanging around outside the entrance on Canal Street.

Forget the talk about the hotel being in violation of city codes. Management of this place allowed the illegal behavior to take place right under their noses. Supposedly the hotel had been ordered not to rent any rooms above the bottom 2 floors because of fire safety concerns. But the guy who was arrested for the homicide was staying in a room on the 4th floor where the murder occurred--and wasn't a registered guest.

Considering the dude who allegedly shot the 20-year-old black Algiers girl after reportedly shouting at her repeatedly "Where are the other girls?," it's easy to speculate he was pimping prostitutes out of the place, putting the "ho" in hotel.

A relentless investigation by the NOPD after Kenyra Johnson was shot in the abdomen during an argument at the hotel Tuesday night (6.30.09) and died at the hospital, led to the arrest Friday (7.3.09) of Troy Gloston-Phelps, 21. Gloston, who could have been nailed by the police any time before the shooting on a slew of outstanding warrants, was booked with 2nd-degree murder. He's being held in OPP on $500,000 bond.

Another bar robbery: After the robberies of Donna's on N. Rampart Street on 6.25.09 and Pal's in Mid-City on 6.27.09 where a patron was shot, a brazen robber knocked over The John bar at Burgundy and Frenchmen streets on Monday (6.29.09).

A black dude entered the bar at 1:20 p.m. and ordered a drink. Then he pulled a gun and demanded the money from the video poker machines before locking the 62-year-old female bartender in a supply closet and cleaning out the cash from the register.

He was described as in his mid 20's, 5'8" tall, weighing 180 pounds, clean shaven, wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans.

Bad neighborhoods: Any one with a lick of sense would know that these are not nice places to be in the early morning hours, but they ventured forth and were robbed there. If they are locals, they should know better; if they were tourists, somebody needs to tell them the French Quarter is not all fun and games:

• Wednesday (7.1.09): A 27-year-old white woman walking in the 1000 block of Iberville Street (between Burgundy and N. Rampart streets) at 12:45 a.m. was robbed by gun-toting black dude who took her money and then fled in a dark red 4-door sedan which sped off on Burgundy toward Esplanade Avenue.

He was described as 20 to 24 years old, 5'9" tall, weighing 160 pounds, with shoulder-length dreadlocks, wearing a long white T-shirt and blue jean shorts.

• Friday (7.3.09): A white guy standing near N. Rampart and St. Louis streets at 1:15 a.m. was approached by 4 black thugs. One asked his for a cigarette and when the victim reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and some cash, he grabbed the money and fled with his rat pack.

8th District officers later nabbed 2 of them: Charles Roy (right), 20, and Nicholas Duplessis (left), 23. They were each charged with simple robbery and placed under a $15,000 bond to get out of OPP.

• Friday (7.3.09): A white woman who was near Bourbon and St. Louis streets at 3:45 a.m. was approached by a black guy who said he had a gun and demanded her money.

She refused and flagged down a cop who pursued the thug up Bourbon toward Canal Street and arrested Rakeem Holmes, 20.

On top of attempted armed robbery, he was also charged with possession of marijuana and crack cocaine. He is being held on $80,500 bond in OPP.

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

Thom Kahler