No man's land

Bad place to be: What is it about the 400 block of Bourbon Street between Conti and St. Louis streets? Early Wednesday morning (9.15.10) a black punk took a potshot at 4 undercover detectives from the 8th District. That's the same block where a Gretna cop was killed during a fight in June.

No one was hit by the shot fired Wednesday, but the officers swarmed on Brandon Steen, 29, and arrested him on 4 counts of attempted first-degree murder, illegal use of a weapon and illegally carrying a weapon; a few days later when they found he was a felon, they also charged him for possession of a firearm by a felon.

Here's how it went down: Around 12:30 a.m. that morning, a citizen told detectives working a narcotics detail about a black guy with a gun. Based on the description they got, Ofc. Joe Jefferson, Ofc. Travis Ward, Ofc. Alex Brady and Ofc. Marc Vazquez canvassed Bourbon Street and spotted the suspect in the 400 block. As they approached him, he allegedly pulled a handgun from his waistband and fired one shot toward the officers. The detectives immediately tackled the shooter and attempted to disarm him. The suspect tried to keep control of his weapon by keeping it under him while on the ground.

Bad move unless you like shocking electricity. Lt. Anthony Micheu arrived on the scene and Tasered the miscreant, which yielded the .38-caliber handgun from the suspect and allowed the officers to handcuff the now-docile Steen.

Steen is languoring in OPP on a $270,000 bond.

* * *

Charges have been reduced against the kid's who's accused of killing Gretna police officer Brett Thomas. The charge of second-degree murder against Joshua Miner, 20, was reduced to manslaughter on Thursday (9.16.10) and his bond was reduced from $1 million to $350,000. He is accused of throwing a punch during an argument that landed on the back of Thomas' head, killing him instantly.

Otherwise, quiet: If you ignore the shot fired at the cops and another hail of bullets a few days earlier in which one man was wounded, it was a relatively quiet week in the French Quarter. One armed robbery and 3 unarmed ones was about it:

• Saturday (9.18.10) 3:51 a.m.: Three drunk women in their 20's were nearly robbed in the 1100 block of Canal Street (between S. Rampart Street and Elk Place) by a guy with his hand under his shirt, making like he had a gun. He demanded their money, they screamed and ran away. Noting that the victims, all white, ages 28, 22 and 21, appeared intoxicated during his initial interview with them, postponed further investigation.

The assailant was described as a white man, 25 to 35 years old, 5'8" tall, weighing 180 pounds, with short blond hair

• Saturday (9.18.10) 5:30 a.m.: Must be something in the water--maybe bourbon. A 25-year-old white guy was walking near Iberville and Bourbon streets when 4 black thugs grabbed him and took his wallet from his pocket before fleeing on foot on Iberville toward N. Rampart Street.

He was unable to give an accurate description of his assailants during an initial interview.

• Saturday (9.18.10) 5:00 a.m.: This guy didn't bother to report being robbed until several hours after it happened and then couldn't give an accurate description of the robber either. The 31-year-old white fella said he was walking in the 700 block of Orleans Avenue (between Royal and Bourbon streets) when he was grabbed by a black dude who grabbed him and demanded his money. He complied and the robber fled on foot toward Bourbon.

• Tuesday (9.14.10) 6:25 p.m.: This lady was able at least to give somewhat of a description of the black boy who robbed her even though she was jabbering on her cellphone at the time. The victim, a 51-year-old white woman, was standing near Bourbon and St. Louis streets when the little punk came up and grabbed the iPhone right out of her hand.

She said he was 16 to 18 years old, 5'9" tall, with short twists in his hair.

Robbery solved: It took a couple of weeks, but 8th District detectives think it was Benjamin Kent, a 38-year-old black dude who also goes by the name of Michael Johnson, who robbed a 36-year-old white guy on Bienville Street near Royal Street on 8.31.10. A warrant for his arrest has been issued.

The suspect panhandled the victim for some money, but when the victim took his wallet from his pocket, the robber grabbed it and fled. The victim described his assailant as 5'6" to 5'8" tall, weighing 220 to 250 pounds.

If you know Benjamin Kent--or Michael Johnson--rat him out to Crimestoppers at 822-1111 and collect the $2,500 reward.

* * *
Crimes last week in the 8th District
(Click on the map to enlarge it)

Sunday (9.12.10)

Auto Theft, 1420 Burgundy, 12:16 p.m.
Auto Burglary, Elysian Fields & Royal, 4:07 p.m.
Theft, 700 Tchoupitoulas, 8:06 p.m.
Bicycle Theft, 1022 St Philip, 9:02 p.m.

Monday (9.13.10)

Theft, 930 Poydras, 9:42 a.m.
Auto Theft, Burgundy & Iberville, 10:04 a.m.
Auto Theft, 700 Burgundy, 14:53 p.m.

Tuesday (9.14.10)

Theft, Julia & St Charles, 8:39 a.m.
Auto Burglary, Dauphine & Ursulines, 9:53 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1303 Burgundy, 10:55 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 800 St Philip, 5:48 p.m.
Simple Robbery, Bourbon & St Louis, 6:43 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 735 Camp, 7:46 p.m.
Shoplifting, 800 Canal, 8:06 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 400 S Rampart, 8:24 p.m.

Wednesday (9.15.10)

Attempted Murder, 415 Bourbon, 12:36 a.m.
Auto Theft, 500 Conti, 10:50 a.m.
Theft, 932 Bourbon, 5:08 p.m.

Thursday (9.16.10)

Auto Theft, St Joseph & Tchoupitoulas, 5:56 a.m.
Business Burglary, 201 St Charles, 10:44 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 535 Tchoupitoulas, 1:22 p.m.
Theft, 909 Royal, 2:44 p.m.
Theft, 621 St Louis, 6:48 p.m.

Friday (9.17.10)

Auto Theft, Bienville & Chartres, 5:22 a.m.
Shoplifting, 902 Poydras, 10:38 a.m.
Theft, 515 Gravier, 11:13 a.m.
Bicycle Theft, Camp & Canal, 11:29 a.m.
Shoplifting, 134 Royal, 12:29 p.m.
Bicycle Theft, 1700 N Rampart, 8:03 p.m.

Saturday (9.18.10)

Aggravated Battery, Bourbon & Iberville, 2:19 a.m.
Armed Robbery (Implied), 1100 Canal, 3:51 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 S Rampart, 5:05 a.m.
Simple Robbery, Bourbon & Iberville, 5:40 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 700 Orleans, 6:51 a.m.
Theft, 201 Baronne, 10:15 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1100 Port of New Orleans, 11:51 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1100 Port of New Orleans, 11:51 a.m.
Pickpocketing, Decatur & Toulouse, 1:29 p.m.
Auto Theft, 344 St Joseph, 7:14 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

The devil's in the details

Back to "normal": Once the Labor Day/Decadence weekend was over, crime dropped dramatically. Even with the Saints' season opener hoopla around Jackson Square, things were relatively tame. But we're still scratching our head over the inconsistencies between the crime map and the reports the 8th District sends out. May have had something to do with hosting several hundred of thousands of fans in the French Quarter.

Can't outrun a horse: 8th District cops were only a block away when they heard gunshots coming from the 300 block of N. Peters Street (by Bienville Street) around 3 a.m. on Saturday (9.11.10).

At least one of the shots hit its intended target, a black dude who got into a tiff that started in an unnamed club, perhaps nearby on Decatur Street where there have been a number of shoot'em ups in the past.

The victim was taken to the hospital where he was reported in stable condition.

The cops pursued the alleged shooter to the riverfront where he is thought to have disposed of his weapon in the water. One of the mounted units now stationed in the 8th District apprehended Gerelle Caliste, 21.

He was charged with attempted first-degree murder. His bond is set at $400,000.

Otherwise, pesky robberies: Some inconsistencies in these reports, but here's what we've got as accurate as we can get it:

• Thursday (9.9.10) 3:40 a.m.: The report said this robbery happened on Thursday, September 8 at 10:30 a.m., but the map showed the date as 9.9.10--which Thursday was--at 3:40 a.m, which turned out to be correct.

A 46-year-old white man walking in the 600 block of St. Peter Street (between Chartres and Royal streets) when he was accosted by 3 black guys, one of whom grabbed him while the others relieved him of his property.

Police say they arrested a 29-year-old man, a 20-year-old man, and a 13-year-old black boy. But the 29-year-old was released from jail by a magistrate judge who found no probable cause; the 20-year-old never showed up in court records; and God-only knows what be came of the black boy. So, what we have, is still an unsolved case.

• Wednesday (9.8.10) or Tuesday (9.7.10) at 10:30 a.m.?: The report said "Wednesday", but the map said "Tuesday".

But what happened, we think, is a 23-year-old white woman was robbed when a blue Lincoln MarkVIII pulled along side her at Chartres and Madison streets and a black guy jumped out and grabbed her purse from her shoulder before getting back in the car and speeding off.

He was described as 27 to 33 years old, 6' tall, with a thin build, wearing all dark clothing.

• Tuesday (9.7.10) 2:00 a.m.: The only thing troubling here is the victim didn't bother to report it until Friday (9.10.10).

The 46-year-old white guy said he was walking in the 300 block of Burgundy Street (between Conti and St. Louis streets) when a black guy came up and slugged him and then took his wallet from his pocket.

He described the robber as 18 to 26 years old, 5'10" tall, weighing 160 pounds, with braids.

Other robberies previously reported last week with no known discrepancies:

• Tuesday (9.7.10) 12:43 a.m.: A 71-year-old white lady walking in the 1900 block of N. Rampart Street (between Pauger and Touro streets) was mugged by a big black thug who grabbed her purse from her shoulder and fled on foot.

He was described as 6' tall, weighing 160 pounds, with a thin build and short hair, wearing a light-colored T-shirt.

• Sunday (9.5.10) 1:45 a.m.: A 21-year-old white guy walking in the 800 block of St. Louis Street (between Bourbon and Dauphine streets) had his iPhone snatched from his hand by a black punk who fled on foot toward N. Rampart Street.

The thief was described as 15 to 17 years old, with a heavy build, wearing a white T-shirt.

• Sunday (9.5.10) 1:00 a.m.: A white woman was sitting in the Cat's Meow, 701 Bourbon St., when 2 white guys came up and one grabbed her wallet from her purse. She demanded it back but they refused and fled on foot.

The robber was described as 6' tall, weighing 170 pounds, with dark black hair; his accomplice was described simply as "a white male".

* * *
Crimes last week in the 8th District
(Click on the map to enlarge it)

Sunday (9.5.10)

Aggravated Battery, 100 Bourbon, 12:20 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 701 Bourbon, 1:17 a.m.
Theft, 435 Esplanade, 1:35 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 800 St Louis, 2:00 a.m.
Business Burglary, 109 Royal, 2:26 a.m.
Theft, 344 Camp, 3:11 a.m.
Auto Burglary, Decatur & Wilkinson, 8:56 a.m.
Auto Theft, 900 Bienville, 9:33 a.m.
Auto Theft, 925 Common, 11:00 a.m.
Theft, 300 Chartres, 10:20 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 500 St Louis, 10:25 p.m.

Monday (9.6.10)

Theft, 301 St Joseph, 1:32 a.m.
Aggravated Battery, 500 Bourbon, 3:31 a.m.
Theft, 522 Bourbon, 4:30 a.m.
Theft, 800 Decatur, 8:19 a.m.
Theft, 601 Poydras, 12:08 p.m.
Theft, 221 Carondelet, 1:48 p.m.

Tuesday (9.7.10)

Pursesnatching, 1900 N Rampart, 12:43 a.m.
Pursesnatching, Chartres & Madison, 10:30 a.m.
Bicycle Theft, 8 Canal, 6:32 p.m.
Auto Theft, Dauphine & Iberville, 9:13 p.m.

Wednesday (9.8.10)

Theft, 8 Canal, 12:51 p.m.
Auto Theft, Girod & Magnolia, 9:46 p.m.
Theft, 131 Decatur, 10:51 p.m.

Thursday (9.9.10)

Simple Robbery, 600 St Peter, 3:30 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 500 Baronne, 11:08 a.m.
Theft, 225 Decatur, 5:54 p.m.
Residence Burglary, 900 block of Lafayette, 10:46 p.m.

Friday (9.10.10)

Bicycle Theft, 800 Decatur, 8:38 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1100 Burgundy, 12:05 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 300 Burgundy, 12:47 p.m.
Auto Theft, 731 Royal, 4:20 p.m.
Shoplifting, 232 Bourbon, 10:44 p.m.

Saturday (9.11.10)

Attempted murder, 300 N Peters, 3:01 a.m.
Shoplifting, 1007 Decatur, 10:02 a.m.
Theft, 329 Bourbon, 5:59 p.m.
Auto Theft, 400 La Salle, 11:30 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Decadence, indeed

What the...?: It's hard to believe that the Southern Decadence frivolities on Labor Day weekend had anything to do with the rash of robberies in the past week--unless the punks pulling the capers thought guys dressed like girls were easy marks. (If you asked me, those guys were pretty burly and didn't look like anything to mess with.)

But here's what we had:

• Tuesday (9.7.10) 12:43 a.m.: A 71-year-old white lady walking in the 1900 block of N. Rampart Street (between Pauger and Touro streets) was mugged by a big black thug who grabbed her purse from her shoulder and fled on foot.

He was described as 6' tall, weighing 160 pounds, with a thin build and short hair, wearing a light-colored T-shirt.

• Sunday (9.5.10) 1:45 a.m.: A 21-year-old walking in the 800 block of St. Louis Street (between Bourbon and Dauphine streets) had his iPhone snatched from his hand by a black punk who fled on foot toward N. Rampart Street.

The thief was described as 15 to 17 years old, with a heavy build, wearing a white T-shirt. (If that's the best description you could give, no wonder you didn't see the robber approaching.)

• Sunday (9.5.10) 1:00 a.m.: A white woman was sitting in the Cat's Meow, 701 Bourbon St., when 2 white guys came up and one grabbed her wallet from her purse. She demanded it back but they refused and fled on foot. (Hey, I thought that place had bouncers to deal with things like that?)

The robber was described as 6' tall, weighing 170 pounds, with dark black hair; his accomplice was described simply as "a white male" (and you know they all look alike).

• Saturday (9.4.10) 7:41 p.m.: Two white men, 51 and 41, were in the 200 block of Bourbon Street (between Iberville and Bienville streets) when a black chic came up and put something on their shoes, then demanded that they owed her for a shoeshine. When they refused, a black dude came up and demanded they pay the woman for the shine.

Cops say they arrested him, Nickey Perkins, 31, for simple robbery, but there was no record of it in court documents.

• Saturday (9.4.10) 3:15 a.m.: A 39-year-old white man was in the 200 block of Bourbon Street when a young black guy came by and grabbed the iPhone from his hand.

The robber was described as in his early 20's, 5'10" tall, with a thin build and dreadlocks, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

• Saturday (9.4.10) 12:30 a.m.: A trio of middle-aged white men, 44, 49, and 54, were walking in the 1300 block of Bourbon Street (between Esplanade Avenue and Barracks Street) when 2 black thugs came up, one of them toting a pistol, and demanded money. The would-be victims instead hollered for help and the would-be robbers fled on foot.

The gunman was described as 6'2" tall, with a slim build and short hair, wearing all dark clothing; his accomplice was "black".

• Friday (9.3.10) 3:09 a.m.: A 54-year-old white man walking near Dauphine and Iberville streets was robbed by a black guy who pushed him to the ground and took the victim's wallet from his rear pocket and then fled on foot up Dauphine toward Canal Street.

The robber was described as 30-years-old, 5'11" tall, with a thin build, wearing all dark clothing.

• Friday (9.3.10) 12:30 a.m.: Two men, one a 33-year-old Hispanic and the other a 43-year-old white, were robbed at gunpoint by 2 black creeps while walking in the 200 block of Burgundy Street (between Iberville and Bienville streets).

The gunman was described as 6' tall, weighing 180 pounds, with cornrows or dreadlocks, wearing all blue clothing; the other was just black.

• Tuesday (8.31.10) 10:59 p.m.: A 36-year-old white man was in the 700 block of Canal Street (between Royal and Bourbon streets) when a fat black dude came up and panhandled him. When the man took his wallet out of his pocket, the panhandler got greedy and grabbed the whole thing from the donor's hand, and fled on foot.

The robber was described as in his mid-20's, 5'6" to 5'8" tall, weighing 220 to 250 pounds, wearing a gray shirt and black pants.

• Tuesday (8.31.10) 9:41 p.m.: An armed black guy robbed the 46-year-old male Hispanic cashier at the parking garage at 210 N. Rampart St. (the corner of Iberville Street, next to the New Orleans Athletic Club) flashing his pistol and grabbing money from the cash register before fleeing on foot.

The robber was described as 5'9" tall, weighing 200 pounds, with a muscular build and dark complexion, wearing a gray T-shirt and blue jeans. Two days later, cops arrested Clardie Ellis III, 25, and charged him with armed robbery. He is in OPP on $150,000 bond.

(A couple of days later, on Saturday night (9.4.10), the same 46-year-old Hispanic parking attendant was assaulted by a white guy he got into an argument with around 2 a.m. The driver got out of his car, allegedly shoving the parking attendant to the ground and pulling out a pistol and pointing it at him.

The guy drove off but police soon caught up with Joseph P. Johnson, 23, and charged him with illegally carrying a weapon, aggravated assault, and simple battery. His line of work must be lucrative, since he managed to post $65,000 bond before he could even have his mugshot taken.)

Bad guys brought in: Within less than 48 hours, 2 wanted suspects featured on NOcrimeline.com last week were apprehended by the NOPD:

• Joshua Louis Miner, 20, turned himself in at Central Lockup on Wednesday (9.1.10) around around 1 p.m., accompanied by his attorney, Robert Jenkins, and met by officers from the Violent Offenders Warrant Squad.

Miner was booked with second-degree murder after Homicide Det. Daniel McMullen identified him as the prime suspect in the murder of Gretna police officer Brett Thomas on 6.27.10 in the French Quarter.

According to investigators, 8th District cops responded to a call of a fight in the 400 block of Bourbon Street around 4 a.m. and upon their arrival, found the Thomas lying on the ground motionless. Emergency medical technicians arrived on the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital where he later died. The victim was off duty at the time and had accompanied friends to Bourbon Street, when an argument with a group of black guys escalated into a fight. Thomas was struck from behind by one of the blacks which caused him to collapse. The subjects then fled the scene.

Miner is being held on $1 million bond.

• Carlos Vargas-Alcerreca, 25, was arrested Tuesday (8.31.10) around 5:15 p.m. by the NOPD in the 2600 block of Tulane Avenue after a tip from Crimestoppers.

Vargas was transported to police headquarters for questioning and was booked at Central Lock-Up with aggravated rape and simple robbery for the alleged sexual assault on 8.28.10 of a woman at Mandeville and Decatur streets in the Faubourg Marigny.

According to investigators, the victim and her female friend met an unknown Hispanic male while they were in a bar on Frenchmen Street in the Marigny Triangle. While inside the bar, the victim went to the restroom. When she returned from the restroom, she did not see her friend in the bar. The Hispanic male told her that her friend had gone to another bar and that her friend asked him to bring her to the other bar. The victim followed the Hispanic male out of the bar and proceeded to walk with him presumably to the other bar. When the victim and the Hispanic male approached Mandeville and Decatur, he struck the victim in the face. When the victim attempted to run, the suspect grabbed her by her hair and struck her several times in the face and sexually assaulted her. The suspect fled when a passer by approached the intersection.

Vargas is being held on $510,000 bond.

9/11 memorial service: Chief of Police Ronal W. Serpas announced that the NOPD, in conjunction with New Orleans Fire Department, New Orleans Emergency Medical Service and Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, will hold a memorial service to honor emergency services members who perished on Sept. 11, 2001.

The service is open to the public and will be held at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., on Saturday (9.11.10). It will begin promptly at 7:40 a.m. and will last approximately 45 minutes.

Also participating in this solemn ceremony will be Pegasus White Doves, a local group that are members of the National White Dove Release Society. The National White Dove Release Society is planning the largest simultaneous White Dove release in history as a tribute to those who paid the ultimate price during 9-11. Over 4,300 white doves will be released across America. As part of the local ceremony, Pegasus White Doves will release a dozen birds.

Football?: Due to the start of the Saints regular season, the 8th District’s NONPAC meeting will be held on Thursday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m., at the Maison Dupuy Hotel, 1001 Toulouse St., instead of on Sept. 9.

Crimes last week in the 8th District

(Click on the map below to enlarge it)

Sunday (8.29.10)

Armed Robbery, 900 Orleans, 2:22 a.m.
Purse Snatching, Canal & Exchange, 5:06 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1100 N Peters, 8:55 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 124 Royal, 9:46 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 623 Toulouse, 10:28 a.m.
Shoplifting, 400 N Peters, 5:30 p.m.
Armed Robbery, 2125 N Rampart, 8:11 p.m.

Monday (8.30.10)

Auto Theft, 831 Baronne, 10:09 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 400 Toulouse, 6:34 p.m.

Tuesday (8.31.10)

Theft, 228 Poydras, 3:23 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 228 Poydras, 4:25 a.m.
Theft, N Diamond & Tchoupitoulas, 11:45 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 365 Canal, 7:24 p.m.
Armed Robbery, 210 N Rampart, 9:41 p.m.
Auto Theft, 365 Canal, 10:14 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 778 Bienville, 10:59 p.m.

Wednesday (9.1.10)

Auto Burglary, 929 Barracks, 4:09 a.m.
Shoplifting, 1124 Decatur, 5:13 p.m.

Thursday (9.2.10)

Shoplifting, 900 Canal, 7:58 a.m.
Auto Theft, 221 Carondelet, 8:35 a.m.
Theft, 408 N Peters, 8:20 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 600 Dumaine, 10:15 p.m.

Friday (9.3.10)

Armed Robbery, 200 Burgundy, 12:37 a.m.
Theft, 419 Bourbon, 2:04 a.m.

Saturday (9.4.10)

Auto Burglary, 100 Girod, 12:00 a.m.
Theft, 606 Frenchmen, 1:46 a.m.
Theft, 540 Burgundy, 2:16 a.m.
Aggravated Assault, 210 N Rampart, 2:41 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 200 Bourbon, 3:21 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 800 Bourbon, 5:21 a.m.
Theft, 400 Burgundy, 6:59 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 Iberville, 7:15 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 Iberville, 8:42 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 Iberville, 10:10 a.m.
Auto Theft, 100 N Rampart, 11:25 a.m.
Simple Robbery, Dauphine & Iberville, 1:18 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 365 Canal, 1:44 p.m.
Theft, 123 Baronne, 2:14 p.m.
Theft, 107 Chartres, 4:54 p.m.
Shoplifting, 609 Chartres, 5:43 p.m.
Theft, 1104 Decatur, 6:25 p.m.
Auto Theft, 721 St Philip, 6:39 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 200 Bourbon, 7:41 p.m.
Simple Burglary, 1415 Tulane, 9:06 p.m.
Armed Robbery, 1300 Bourbon, 9:26 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Katrina be damned--rob 'em

Suspected cop killer sought: The NOPD homicide division has identified 20-year-old Joshua Louis Miner as the prime suspect in the murder of Gretna police officer Brett Thomas on 6.27.10 in the French Quarter.

According to investigators, 8th District cops responded to a call of a fight in the 400 block of Bourbon Street around 4 a.m. and upon their arrival, found the Thomas lying on the ground motionless. Emergency medical technicians arrived on the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital where he later died.

The victim was off duty at the time and had accompanied friends to Bourbon Street, when a verbal argument with a group of black guys escalated into a fight. Thomas was struck from behind by one of the blacks which caused him to collapse. The subjects then fled the scene.

During the course of the investigation, Homicide Sgt. Daniel McMullen identified Miner as the person responsible for the death of Officer Thomas and secured an arrest warrant for 2nd-degree murder.

Miner, whose last known address is 3402 Treasure St., is described as 6' tall, weighing 150 pounds,

Citizens with information that can help solve this crime are asked to call Crimestoppers at 822-1111. You could receive a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and indictment. You do not have to give your name nor testify to receive the reward.

No holiday here: You'd think that maybe out of deference to the Katrina commemorations or even the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech, robbers and other various wrongdoers would take a break and reflect. But no, it was more like they were saying, "I have a gun..." And here's what they did with it on Sunday (8.29.10), the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina:

• 2:20 a.m.: A Hispanic couple, he 43 and she 36, were accosted by a bi-racial duo of thugs who proceeded to rob them in the 900 block of Orleans Avenue (between Dauphine and Burgundy streets). A black man stuck something that felt like a gun in the male victim's back while his white accomplice demanded money from the female victim. The victim's complied and the thugs took off on foot on Orleans to Burgundy, turning toward St. Ann Street.

Cops caught up with one of the alleged culprits, Jonathan LeBlanc, 27, and arrested him on 2 counts of 1st-degree robbery. He is sitting in OPP on $80,000 bond, while his alleged accomplice is at large. The police didn't issue any description of the other robber.

• 3:17 a.m.: A waitress walking home from her job in the French Quarter was robbed by 2 black punks armed with handguns who pursued her in the 1900 block of Conti Street in Treme. They fled in a dark green car after lifting 4 or 5 dollars from her, plus her cellphone and debit card.

The thugs were both described as about 20 years old, 5'6" tall, with slim builds, dark complexions, short hair and clean shaven; one was wearing a black T-shirt and black pants, and the other a white shirt and white pants.

• 4:40 a.m.: A 26-year-old white woman had her pursesnatched from her shoulder near Exchange Place and Canal Street by a black guy who then fled across Canal and up Carondelet Street.

He was described as 5'8" tall, weighing 150 pounds.

• 8:11 p.m.: A black dude tried to rob a 49-year-old white woman in the 2100 block of N. Rampart Street (between Frenchmen Street and Elysian Fields Avenue). He pulled a pistol and demanded her money, but when she resisted he clobbered her in the head with the gun, causing a small laceration.

He fled in a 4-door black sedan, but she described him as 20 to 23 years old, 5'9" to 5'11" tall, with a slim build, short hair and clean shaven.

Oh, boy, oh, boy: A 22-year-old white guy out on the town at 3 a.m. last Tuesday (8.24.10) when 2 young black chicks in tight white tanktops joined up with him as he walked near Chartres and St. Peter streets. Soon a black SUV with another black chic driving pulled along side the trio. They got in the vehicle and that's when the white boy noticed the black dude sitting in the back. It wasn't long before the black dude demanded the young fella's wallet. He took some--but not all--the cash from it and handed it back to the victim, who was then dropped off at an unknown location.

When the victim got over his chagrin of being so gullible, he contacted the police 13 hours later. He could only describe the 3 black chics as wearing the tight white tops and blue jeans, and the black due as being in his late 30's. Another tourist meets the underbelly of the French Quarter.

Rapists on the run: Pictures have been posted of 2 suspected rapists that may be roaming the area.

• Early Saturday morning (8.28.10) an adult female was sexually assaulted at Mandeville and Decatur streets in the Faubourg Marigny.

According to investigators, the victim and her female friend met an unknown Hispanic male while they were in a bar on Frenchmen Street in the Marigny Triangle. While inside the bar, the victim went to the restroom. When she returned from the restroom, she did not see her friend in the bar. The Hispanic male told her that her friend had gone to another bar and that her friend asked him to bring her to the other bar. The victim followed the Hispanic male out of the bar and proceeded to walk with him presumably to the other bar.

When the victim and the Hispanic male approached Mandeville and Decatur, he struck the victim in the face. When the victim attempted to run, the suspect grabbed her by her hair and struck her several times in the face and sexually assaulted her. The suspect fled when a passer by approached the intersection.

In the course of the investigation, Det. Clifton Neely learned that a photograph was taken of the suspect while he was inside of the bar (pictured at the right).

• In another case, the FBI is trying to locate Anthony Wayne O'Neal, 39, who is wanted for murder and rape in Texas. He stole the rape victim's car, which was recovered in Rayne, LA, last Monday (8.23.10).

O'Neal is believed to have ties to the New Orleans area. He is 6'3" tall, weighing 180 to 200 pounds; he has recently been seen with short dreadlocks and a goatee. He is considered armed and dangerous.

Any one with information is asked to call the FBI in New Orleans at 816-3000.

Crimes last week in the 8th District

(Click on the crime map below to enlarge it)

Sunday (8.22.10)

Theft, 222 Bourbon, 12:06 a.m.
Aggravated Assault, Magazine & St Joseph, 1:14 a.m.
Theft, 1001 S Peters, 11:18 a.m.
Auto Theft, 333 St Charles, 11:20 a.m.
Bicycle Theft, 222 N Rampart, 4:43 p.m.

Monday (8.23.10)

Armed Robbery, Bienville & Dauphine, 1:56 a.m.
Theft, 2 Poydras, 2:39 a.m.
Auto Theft, 100 Tchoupitoulas, 11:58 a.m.
Theft, 333 O'Keefe, 2:31 p.m.

Tuesday (8.24.10)

Simple Robbery, Chartres & St Ann, 12:09 a.m.
Auto Theft, 600 Constance, 2:56 p.m.
Residence Burglary, 900 block of Esplanade, 4:32 p.m.
Theft, O'Keefe & Poydras, 9:23 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 500 Burgundy, 10:34 p.m.

Wednesday (8.25.10)

Auto Theft, N Rampart & St Louis, 7:32 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 400 Barracks, 10:03 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 124 Royal, 10:44 a.m.
Theft, 137 Royal, 3:08 p.m.
Theft, 135 St Charles, 4:23 p.m.
Shoplifting, 717 Canal, 8:04 p.m.
Theft, 333 Poydras, 9:38 p.m.

Thursday (8.26.10)

Auto Burglary, La Salle & Poydras, 9:35 a.m.
Auto Theft, Baronne & Poydras, 12:33 p.m.

Friday (8.27.10)

Auto Theft, 823 St Louis, 2:13 a.m.
Auto Theft, Bienville & Burgundy, 5:53 a.m.
Auto Theft, Dauphine & Toulouse, 10:03 a.m.
Auto Theft, 938 Lafayette, 12:09 p.m.
Theft, 500 Chartres, 8:06 p.m.
Pickpocketing, 1500 Poydras, 9:13 p.m.
Auto Theft, Andrew Higgins & Tchoupitoulas, 10:01 p.m.

Saturday (8.28.10)

Auto Burglary, 500 Ursulines, 12:56 a.m.
Aggravated Battery, 852 S Peters, 2:40 a.m.
Theft, 440 Bourbon, 3:35 a.m.
Auto Theft, 200 Burgundy, 7:20 a.m.
Auto Theft, 500 Tchoupitoulas, 8:10 a.m.
Theft, 200 Poydras, 9:23 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 700 Esplanade, 2:12 p.m.
Auto Theft, Baronne & Perdido, 3:29 p.m.

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

Thom Kahler

In the heat of the night

Crimes last week in the 8th District

(Click on the crime map below to enlarge it)

Sunday (8.15.10)

Theft, 400 Bourbon, 1:38 a.m.
Auto Theft, 500 Common, 2:45 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 800 Dumaine, 9:44 a.m.
Auto Theft, 920 Conti, 10:01 a.m.
Theft, 817 Common, 5:29 p.m.
Auto Burglary, Gravier & O'Keefe, 5:44 p.m.
Pursesnatching, 640 Bourbon, 8:57 p.m.

Monday (8.16.10)

Auto Theft, Burgundy & St Peter, 12:20 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 806 Conti, 3:55 a.m.
Theft, 843 Camp, 12:55 p.m.

Tuesday (8.17.10)

Auto Burglary, Burgundy & Toulouse, 4:09 a.m.
Aggravated Battery, 2 Canal, 5:14 a.m.
Theft, 621 St Louis, 4:28 p.m.
Theft, 339 Bourbon, 7:56 p.m.
Theft, 300 Poydras, 10:23 p.m.

Wednesday (8.18.10)

Auto Burglary, 1000 St Peter, 9:07 a.m.
Aggravated Assault, Baronne & Poydras, 9:17 a.m.
Theft, Burgundy & St Ann, 12:03 p.m.
Theft, Carondelet & Julia, 6:20 p.m.

Thursday (8.19.10)

Theft, 227 Bourbon, 1:30 a.m.
Theft, 501 Tchoupitoulas, 4:23 a.m.
Theft, 501 Decatur, 5:41 a.m.
Theft, 300 Bourbon, 10:08 a.m.
Theft, 8 Canal, 1:16 p.m.
Auto Theft, S Claiborne & Poydras, 3:18 p.m.
Shoplifting, 601 Julia, 4:01 p.m.
Auto Theft, 210 N Rampart, 5:37 p.m.

Friday (8.20.10)

Auto Burglary, Dauphine & Toulouse, 5:08 a.m.
Auto Theft, 800 S Peters, 11:20 a.m.

Saturday (8.21.10)

Theft, 555 Canal, 4:12 a.m.
Auto Theft, 1940 Dauphine, 4:36 a.m.
Theft, 625 St Ann, 6:35 a.m.
Auto Theft, Andrew Higgins & Annunciation, 12:19 p.m.
Auto Theft, Andrew Higgins & St Charles, 1:41 p.m.
Theft, Bienville & Bourbon, 5:26 p.m.
Theft, 441 Bourbon, 11:05 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 300 Bourbon, 11:51 p.m.

Maybe it was the heat: The week was marked by violence of sorts: threatening a driver, smacking a friend with a board, ramming a wife's car--you know, the kind of stuff that evokes a lonely saxophone wailing from a balcony in the Quarter on a hot August night:

• Sunday (8.22.10) 1:16 a.m.: Demetrius Hayes found himself in a whole heap of trouble after he allegedly fled a hit-and-run accident, resulting in 10 charges--the least of which wasn't aggravated assault with a firearm.

He was also charged with driving while intoxicated, hit-and-run driving, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, disobeying a police officer, and 4 counts of failure to obey a traffic control device.

Hayes, 42, had steered clear of the law for nearly a decade. He was charged for DWI with 4 or more convictions in 2001, but DA Harry Connick had to let him go because he failed to charge him within the legal time allowed.

In his most recent tiff, Hayes allegedly ran into the car of a 30-year-old black man. The victim, outraged when the other driver drove off, took off in pursuit of him. When he caught up with him at Magazine and St. Joseph streets in the Warehouse District, Hayes allegedly got out of his car and pointed "a long black object concealed beneath a towel" at the victim and drove off again. The victim continued his pursuit until police finally caught up with his car and arrested Hayes.

• Wednesday (8.18.10) 9:25 a.m.: A domestic dispute led to David B. Collins, 30, allegedly chasing after his 30-year-old wife in his car.

He allegedly intentionally rammed his car into the rear of hers at Baronne and Poydras streets, then chased her to N. Broad and St. Peter streets, where she managed to elude him.

A warrant was issued for his arrest and he was booked Sunday (8.22.10) on a charge of aggravated assault. He was held on $15,000 bond but managed to bail out after signing a "stay away" order.

• Tuesday (8.17.10) 5:10 a.m.: Vagrants will be vagrants, I guess. Who knows what it was about, but a 36-year-old white guy sleeping behind the World Trade Center, 2 Canal St., was struck in the face with a board by a fellow bum who fled on foot.

Police caught up with Robert Miller, 47, and charged him with 2nd-degree battery. He is being held on $15,000 bond.

• More than a year ago: In one of those "yeah I know him, I just don't know his name" encounters on 4.7.09 in a hotel in the 300 block of O'Keefe Avenue, a black chick was attacked in her room by a black dude who kicked in the door and struck her with a lamp.

Cops finally figured they were looking for Deshawn Freeman, now 29, after showing a photo line-up to the victim who positively identified him on 6.4.09. They issued a warrant for his arrest but weren't able to apprehend him until over a year later on 6.9.10 when he was booked with aggravated battery.

Freeman skedaddled from OPP after posting a $30,000 bond and is running the streets until his 11.9.10 court date.

Only ONE robbery: Can you believe it? Only one robbery in the 8th District all of last week, and that one a phone snatch-and-grab. (The second robbery listed here is technically charged to this week's crimes.)

• Saturday (8.21.10) 12:20 a.m.: A 39-year-old white woman was yakking on her iPhone in the 300 block of Bourbon Street (between Bienville and Conti streets) when a black brat ran up and grabbed the phone from her hand and fled on foot down Bourbon.

The robber was described as 18 to 25 years old, 6' tall, weighing 170 pounds, with short hair, wearing a red T-shirt.

• Monday (8.23.10) 1:55 a.m.: One of 2 white woman standing at Bienville and Dauphine streets was robbed by a black pipsqueak who pulled a gun and demanded money. One victim refused and the perp struck her with his pistol and grabbed the purse from her arm. He fled on foot on Bienville, turning on Burgundy Street toward Conti Street.

He is described as 30 years old, 5'7" tall, weighing 155 pounds, wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and long black pants. (Sounds like a waiter who didn't make enough in tips that night.)

Not kidding around: A 25-year-old French Quarter waiter was arrested and charged with 44 counts of possessing child pornography Thursday (8.19.20).

An on-going investigation of child porn by the Louisiana State Police led them to the apartment of Arthur H. "Hutch" Terry IV in the 700 block of Royal Street where, they said, their investigation indicated someone was downloading child porn from the Internet.

When they executed a search warrant around 2 p.m. Thursday afternoon at that address they found a Dell laptop computer containing 44 sexually-explicit images and videos depicting minors.

Police arrested the 6' 6" tall, 210-pound Terry on 44 counts of possessing child porn. His bond of $110,000 was posted by his parents and he was released from OPP this morning (8.25.10).

If convicted of the charges he could spend 2 to 10 years in prison without parole.

Going out walking: Join Capt. Edwin Hosli and officers of the 8th District for the NOPD's second monthly Crime Walk on Thursday (8.26.10) at 6:30 p.m. in the Warehouse District.

Walks are held simultaneously in all 8 police districts to enables the community and police to come together and walk the beat to meet your neighbors and the police patrolling your neighborhood.

The route this Thursday is:

Begin at 1040 St. Charles Avenue;

Turn right on Andrew Higgins Blvd. (one block);

Turn left on Camp Street (5 blocks);

Turn left and travel through Lafayette Square between North and South Maestri Streets;

Turn left on St. Charles Avenue (half of a block);

Turn left on Girod Street (3 blocks);

Turn right on Tchoupitoulas Street (3 blocks);

Veer right onto Annunciation Street (one block);

Turn right on Poeyfarre Street,

End at Magazine and Poeyfarre (D-Day/American Sector area)

Wipe out graffiti: If you want to help eradicate graffiti from the walls of the French Quarter, the French Quarter Business Association (FQBA), along with other civic groups, is gearing up a second graffiti clean up this Saturday (8.28.10) for citizens to participate in a "hands-on" endeavor dubbed Vieux Carre Graffiti Abatement Program or VC-GAP.

PJ's Coffee Café in the Royal Sonesta Hotel, 300 Bourbon St., is offering all volunteers with VC-GAP cleanup T-shirts, complimentary coffee and pastries from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Volunteers will receive a VC-GAP t-shirt to wear on the 28th, while supplies last when they check in at the 8th District police station's courtyard. The clean-up begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 11:30 a.m.

To volunteer, contact the FQBA office at 504.309.1423 or email graffiti@fqba.org or for more information, visit the website www.fqba.org.

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

Thom Kahler