Confusion reigns: Four rapes--give or take a couple--in the last 2 weeks may not a trend make. But what's worrisome is: What happened to whom where?
The local NOPD district (the 8th in the French Quarter and environs) no longer takes the initial call. Instead the Sex Crimes Section does the entire investigation. Unlike other people crimes (robberies, assaults, etc.), the 8th District does not generate a report listing information about the crime, yet rapes still show up on the 8th's crime map. That's what worries a lot of citizens--they have no more information than that.
So here's what we've had lately:The problem with this is: The public doesn't know whether a rape is:
Lt. Paul Noel, commander of the Sex Crimes Section, says he's not at liberty to release information and that any report would have to come from the Public Information Office. But PIO doesn't have any standard procedure for releasing info on rapes and only rarely reply to inquiries.- a domestic dispute (which doesn't pose a threat to anyone else),
- a drunken woman rendering herself easy prey to a new acquaintance (which may or may not involve other women), or
- women being randomly stalked by a serial rapist (which is extremely alarming).
NOcrimeline continues to lobby the NOPD to establish a procedure to automatically release any and all information--including a description of the perp--on every rape that occurs in the city. Too often these crimes are kept shrouded until they form a pattern too obvious to ignore--and after they've left a trail of victims in their wake.
- Sunday (10.10.10): It's hard to know if one or two rapes happened. The 8th District's crime map showed a rape had occurred at 1 p.m. at 632 Frenchmen St. and the district's list of crimes showed a rape at the identical date and time at 623 Canal St. Was it 2 crimes or just what was the confusion?
The only information we could get from Bob Young, the NOPD's Public Information Officer, said a woman (no age or race given) was drinking at a bar on Frenchmen Street (no location, date, or time given) when she engaged in a conversation with a black guy. He offered her a ride home, but instead drove her to a warehouse at an undetermined location and persuaded the woman to enter under the ruse that there was a party inside. Upon entering, there were 2 other black guys inside and she was sexually assaulted by one or more of them.
Young said because the victim was intoxicated, cops have not been able to locate the warehouse or even narrow down a good location where the crime occurred. That still doesn't explain anything about the 2 different locations on the police reports.
- Friday (10.22.10): The 8th District crime map shows 2 rapes, one at 9:06 a.m. in the 1100 block of Burgundy Street (between Ursulines Avenue and Gov. Nicholls Street) and the other at 12:07 p.m. at 555 Canal St., which is the Marriott Hotel.
According to Bob Young, the PIO, the incident on Burgundy Street involved an ex-boyfriend. It's not known if he was arrested because his name was not released, perhaps because that would unintentionally reveal the name of the victim.
The other case, at the Marriott, involved a stripper who was partying with 4 men. She had consensual sex with one of them and then fell asleep in the bed with all of them. She thinks she may have had sex with another one of them while she was sleeping. Police are still interrogating the men and investigating the incident.
Reporting rapes in a more systematic fashion is probably something Chief Ronal Serpas is going to have to kick some butt on if the public's ever going to be informed about these heinous crimes.The other case, at the Marriott, involved a stripper who was partying with 4 men. She had consensual sex with one of them and then fell asleep in the bed with all of them. She thinks she may have had sex with another one of them while she was sleeping. Police are still interrogating the men and investigating the incident.
Robberies return: Just when you think you might get through a week with only a few robberies, those hopes are dashed:
- Tuesday (10.26.10) 2:45 a.m.: A 59-year-old black man waiting at the streetcar stop in the 700 block of Canal Street got into an argument with another black guy, guessed to be a few years younger.
The younger man, obviously devoid of the power to persuade with his words, left but vowed to return with a weapon. The older man went across the street to the Astor Crown Plaza hotel to try to get help. As he and a hotel employee came outside, his adversary charged at him with a broken bottle and slashed the victim's arm. The victim dropped his backpack, which the attacker picked up and fled down Canal toward the river.
The assailant was described as 48 to 53 years old, 6' tall, weighing 180 pounds, with a bald head, wearing a black shirt and denim shorts.
- Saturday (10.23.10) 6:30 p.m.: An 18-year-old white teenager was accosted near Baronne and Canal streets by 2 black teenagers, who demanded money his money. The victim did not report the incident immediately, but when he later spied the duo again he notified police.
Cops arrested Antoine Jones, 19, and booked him just before 9 a.m. the next morning, 
charged with simple robbery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The minor is the 15-year-old black boy who was Jones' accomplice.
charged with simple robbery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The minor is the 15-year-old black boy who was Jones' accomplice.Jones, who had a charge of attempted first-degree murder against him dismissed by the district attorney a little over a year ago, is being held on $30,000 bond.
- Saturday (10.23.10) 5:35 p.m.: A 26-year-old white man walking in the 200 block of O'Keefe Avenue in the CBD was accosted by a gang of 4 black men who grabbed him and snatched his wallet.
The victim was unable to describe his assailants.
- Friday (10.22.10) 1:10 a.m.: A man who had just left the Blue Nile nightclub on Frenchmen Street was walking up Decatur Street to where his car was parked just the other side of Elysian Fields Avenue. He noticed a black dude walking down the middle of the street as he unlocked his car with the remote. The black guy pulled a dark-colored semi-automatic pistol and demanded the owner's car keys. The victim gave them up and the thief fled north on Elysian Fields.
(This report came from Det. Michael Augustus of the 5th District, which may explain the lack of details, such as the victim's age and race, a description of the perp and the car he stole. Say, detective, don't you think giving those descriptions might help solve this case?)
- Friday (10.22.10) 11:00 p.m.: A 52-year-old white man walking in the 700 block of St. Louis Street (between Royal and Bourbon streets) was attacked by 2 black thugs. One struck him and the other pulled a pistol, demanding the victim's money before fleeing on foot toward the river.
The robbers were described as 30-years-old, one 5'7" tall, weighing 140 to 150 pounds, wearing black jeans and a baggy white shirt; the other as 6'2" tall, weighing 260 pounds, with short hair.
- Thursday (10.21.10) 2:10 a.m.: A 38-year-old white woman walking with a female friend in the 800 block of Orleans Avenue (between Bourbon and Dauphine streets) had her purse snatched by a black thief who fled on foot up Dauphine.
He was described only as having short twists in his hair and wearing a gray shirt and black pants.
- Wednesday (10.20.10) 3:30 p.m.: A 36-year-old white woman was in Washington Square Park when 2 black boys rode up on their bicycles and one of them grabbed her cellphone before fleeing down Elysian Fields Avenue.
One was described as 13 to 14 years old, riding a red bike; the other was 16 years old, riding a blue bike.
Not welcome here: When it was the Utopia Night Club it had all sorts of problems with patrons. Now that it's renamed The Beach on Bourbon, the nightclub at 227 Bourbon St. must have gotten pickier about its clientele.On Sunday (10.24.10) when Bianca Hollier, a 24-year-old black chick, tried to 
enter the club around 6:30 p.m., the doormen told her she wasn't welcome. She got into an argument with them and allegedly wound up pulling a pistol and pointing it at one of the doormen.
enter the club around 6:30 p.m., the doormen told her she wasn't welcome. She got into an argument with them and allegedly wound up pulling a pistol and pointing it at one of the doormen.The cops soon took her into custody and booked her with aggravated assault with a firearm and disturbing the peace. Her bond was initially set at $4,500, but later reduced by a magistrate to $3,500 along with "firearm" being dropped from the assault charge. She got out of OPP today (10.28.10) while the getting was good.
Cleaning house: An 8th District cop was one of 3 Chief Serpas made an example of Wednesday (10.27.10) when he booted them off the NOPD.
Ofc. Patrick O'Hern, a 13-year veteran of the force, was arrested last January
for an incident in December in which he fired shots from his service weapon into his own car after parking it in the rooftop parking lot at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.
for an incident in December in which he fired shots from his service weapon into his own car after parking it in the rooftop parking lot at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.He was originally charged with illegally discharging a firearm but pled no-contest to 2 counts of criminal mischief in court. That, and a number of other violations of NOPD policy including drinking while on duty, was enough to get him fired in Chief Serpas' purge of the bad apples from the force.
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Crimes last week in the 8th District
(Click on the crime map to enlarge it)
Sunday (10.17.10)
Auto Theft, 400 Notre Dame, 12:33 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 721 St Charles, 1:59 p.m.
Shoplifting, 106 Royal, 5:35 p.m.
Auto Theft, 100 Camp, 11:06 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 721 St Charles, 1:59 p.m.
Shoplifting, 106 Royal, 5:35 p.m.
Auto Theft, 100 Camp, 11:06 p.m.
Monday (10.18.10)
Theft, 621 St Louis, 11:02 a.m.
Auto Theft, Girod & Loyola, 3:13 p.m.
Simple Robbery, Dauphine & St Louis, 11:59 p.m.
Auto Theft, Girod & Loyola, 3:13 p.m.
Simple Robbery, Dauphine & St Louis, 11:59 p.m.
Tuesday (10.19.10)
Auto Theft, 927 Poeyfarre, 11:10 a.m.
Auto Theft, 2 Poydras, 1:36 p.m.
Auto Theft, 2 Poydras, 1:36 p.m.
Wednesday (10.20.10)
Theft, 859 Convention Center, 9:52 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1000 Iberville, 10:12 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 750 Elysian Fields, 3:28 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 1000 Iberville, 10:12 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 750 Elysian Fields, 3:28 p.m.
Thursday (10.21.10)
Purse Snatching, 800 Orleans, 2:11 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 300 S Peters, 3:13 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 300 S Peters, 3:13 a.m.
Friday (10.22.10)
Theft, 700 Tchoupitoulas, 4:20 a.m.
Rape, 1100 Burgundy, 9:06 a.m.
Rape, 555 Canal, 12:07 p.m.
Auto Theft, 1029 Bienville, 3:42 p.m.
Rape, 1100 Burgundy, 9:06 a.m.
Rape, 555 Canal, 12:07 p.m.
Auto Theft, 1029 Bienville, 3:42 p.m.
Saturday (10.23.10)
Armed Robbery, 700 St Louis, 12:00 a.m.
Auto Theft, 800 Camp, 12:43 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 200 O'Keefe, 5:38 a.m.
Theft, Bienville & Bourbon, 6:58 a.m.
Bicycle Theft, 1400 Tulane, 2:35 p.m.
Pickpocketing, 100 Bourbon, 4:35 p.m.
Theft, 482 N Peters, 6:19 p.m.
Simple Robbery, Baronne & Canal, 8:27 p.m.
Shoplifting, 710 Canal, 11:45 p.m.
Auto Theft, 800 Camp, 12:43 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 200 O'Keefe, 5:38 a.m.
Theft, Bienville & Bourbon, 6:58 a.m.
Bicycle Theft, 1400 Tulane, 2:35 p.m.
Pickpocketing, 100 Bourbon, 4:35 p.m.
Theft, 482 N Peters, 6:19 p.m.
Simple Robbery, Baronne & Canal, 8:27 p.m.
Shoplifting, 710 Canal, 11:45 p.m.
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As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome at NOcrimeline@gmail.comThom Kahler
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