Back at it again

Sorry for the delay: A brief stay in Hotel Touro put me behind some, but by all appearances, you didn't miss much. Where did all the bad guys go? Did we win? Is it safe to go out on the streets at all hours again?

Latest NOPD crime maps show there were only 17 robberies in July this year. Wow, that seemed remarkably low--until I checked July of last year. Only 6! Really, could that be?

Doing some further checking, it appears the 8th District reported more robberies for July, 2008 than the NOPD did on its crime map. Is this another case of the NOPD expunging unfavorable stats to make Big Chief Riley look good while he prepares to get the hell out of Dodge? Stay tuned--we'll do some more checking.

Trendy?: Are the days of being accosted on the street by an armed robber or pursesnatcher over? That possibility seemed to breed terror into residents of the French Quarter and Marigny Triangle in the past, but such incidents have become increasingly rare.

The new threat? Sitting in a bar. (See, your doctor told you boozing was bad for you.) First, there were the 4 bars knocked over in the Marigny Triangle in late June and early July; they got that guy. Then there was the bar on St. Charles Avenue that got hit twice; they got the guy in at least one of those. Then Buffa's was held up; they got that guy.

Now a couple more bars have been hit close to Canal Street in the last few days:

• Wednesday (8.12.09): An armed black thug barged into the 700 Club at 700 Burgundy St. (corner of St. Peter Street) around 1:07 a.m. and robbed several customers at the bar: 2 women, one 24, the other 20; 2 men, one 21, the other 22.

The robber and an accomplice fled on foot down Burgundy toward Orleans Street. The gunman was described as in his early 20's, 6' tall, thin build, light complexion, wearing a gray T-shirt with long black sleeves, blue jeans and a blue hat; his buddy was wearing the usual black thug wardrobe: white T-shirt, black pants, and a black baseball cap.

• Thursday (8.13.09): Another black thug pulled a semi-automatic pistol inside Jimani Lounge & Restaurant, 141 Chartres St., around 9:56 p.m. and demanded money from the bartender. He complied and the robber fled on foot down Iberville Street toward N. Rampart Street.

He was described as 30 to 40 years old, 6'1" tall, 210 pounds, with long dreadlocks pulled back in a ponytail, wearing a white T-shirt and dark pants.

• Saturday (8.8.09): A brazen black dude came up to a white woman in Harrah's Casino around 10:27 p.m. and grabbed her purse, but casino security caught up with him as he attempted to flee.

Police took Archie Love, 28, into custody and booked him with pursesnatching and attempted escape. He's in the jailhouse now, under $30,000 bond.

Other than that: A couple of unruly patrons of the Red Eye Grill, 852 S. Peters St., got into an argument with another patron, all white guys, around 2:10 a.m. on Saturday (8.8.09). The 2 allegedly struck the victim with a beer bottle and attempted to flee but were apprehended by police.

David Guidry, 25, was charged with 2nd-degree battery; David Forly, 26, was charged with aggravated battery. Neither stuck around long enough in Central Lockup to have their pictures taken.

Judge Keva Landrum-Johnson released Forly on his own recognizance on a $10,000 bond; Guidry also got out on a $15,000 bond, but there's no record of how.

Don't let your guard down: It may seem benign out there now, but be vigilant. As you know from the past, just when we think we can relax, out of nowhere comes trouble.

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

Thom Kahler

Bad boys rounded up

Buffa's bandit: Quick work by 8th District detective Willie Jenkins might have convinced Darwin Hunter that he was no match for the NOPD's finest.

After Det. Jenkins obtained an arrest warrant for Hunter just 3 days after the armed robbery of Buffa's Bar & Lounge on 7.31.09, Hunter probably figured he had no choice but to give up. He walked into 8th District headquarters yesterday (8.5.09) afternoon and surrendered to the police.

He was booked into Central Lockup just before 4 p.m. on charges of armed robbery and aggravated assault. He is being held on $160,000 bond.

Police believe Hunter is the robber who walked into Buffa's, at Esplanade Avenue and Burgundy Street, early Friday morning around 12:56 a.m. armed with a pistol and demanded money from the bartender, and then fled on foot.

Hunter, 26, has a long criminal history--including male prostitution--going back to when he turned 17 (and perhaps before that in juvy court) and has the jailhouse tattoos to show it.

Back to lockup: The last of 2 prisoners who escaped from the House of Detention 7.21.09 was recaptured Tuesday (8.04.09) after 2 weeks on the lam.

And where was he? Right under the sheriff's nose--gallivanting around Uptown and holed up at his girlfriend's house in the 6300 block of Gen. Pershing Street. The girlfriend, Ozonesha James, 23, was booked as an accessory for harboing the fugitive.

Acting on a tip from Crimestoppers, police took Lester Jones (pictured), 26, into custody early Tuesday morning. His cohort, Arthur Johnson, 32, who busted out of prison with him, was recaptured 7.29.09 in St. Landry Parish with his girlfriend.

Jones was sentenced just a few days before his escape to 15 years in prison for drug dealing.

Night out for crime: These 2 punks must not have gotten the message that it was the annual "Night Out Against Crime" when they allegedly robbed a couple of white guys walking in the 2100 block of Dauphine Street (between Frenchmen Street and Elysian Fields Avenue, by Washington Park) on Tuesday (8.4.09) just after 10 p.m.

One of the 2 black thugs pulled a gun and demanded the victims' money, and once satisfied fled on foot. But in no time, 8th District cops caught up with Keith McCrary (top) and Herbert Brown (bottom), both 17. Each was charged with armed robbery with a firearm and are being held on $150,000 apiece.

Deja vu?: Almost like clockwork, an armed robber hit St. Charles Bar & Billiards, 736 St. Charles Ave., last month, then Wednesday (8.5.09)--just 30 days later--another thug pulled the same caper. But this time, 8th District detectives caught up with Travis Chapuis, 24.

He is believed to be the robber who entered the bar around 10:27 p.m. last night and pulled a pistol, demanding money. He fled after the bartender complied. By 12:30 p.m. today (8.6.09), detectives had him behind bars, charged with armed robbery.

It's not known yet whether he's the same gunman who held up the same bar around 11:50 p.m. on 7.6.09. That robber was described as a black male, 20 to 25 years old, 5'8" tall, weighing 150 pounds with a thin build, and a little complexion.

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

Thom Kahler

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