Rotten to the Corps

Return to the scene of the crime: NOPD homicide detectives who were in "the right place at the right time" last night (12.9.10) in the French Quarter arrested the suspect sought in the murder of a Marine Corps sergeant on Halloween--just a block from where the crime occurred.

Just after 9 p.m., Homicide Det. Andrew Packer and a contingent of other detectives from the homicide squad were at Dauphine and Bienville streets when they spotted the SUV seen in surveillance video after the stabbing death of Ryan Lekosky around 3:30 a.m. at Dauphine and Iberville streets.

They arrested Melvin Clay, 37, and his 21-year-old girlfriend, Heliana Amrine. Clay was charged with 2nd-degree murder and his girlfriend with being an accessory to murder because she knew of the crime and attempted to help Clay avoid being arrested. Both were booked into Central Lockup this morning (12.10.10). Clay's bond has been set at $1 million; Amrine's bond is $300,000.

Police Chief Ronal Serpas praised the detectives: "This was incredible work by the Homicide Division. Because of their knowledge and experience, the detectives were in the right place at the right time and acted immediately on leads as they developed."

Sgt. Lekosky, 23, dressed in his dress blues, was stabbed several times by a man who got into a fight with his wife after supposedly hurling rude remarks at her while driving by the couple who were walking after leaving the Marine Corps Ball at the Marriott Hotel.

The suspect was described as a black male, about 35 years old, approximately 5’7” tall, weighing 165 to 170 pounds, baldheaded with a short beard, wearing a light-colored long sleeve shirt, blue jeans and alligator boots. The suspect’s vehicle was described as dark colored SUV, possibly a late model.

During the course of this investigation, Det. Packer positively identified Clay as the person responsible for the murder of Lekosky.

Round'em up: Less than 2 weeks after the murder of a popular French Quarter bartender the day after Thanksgiving, NOPD homicide detectives identified 6 suspects and arrested all of them--along with 2 more who tried to hide them.

All were wanted in connection with the shooting death of 21-year-old Earl Wheeler at Dauphine and Canal streets--just a block from where the Marine sergeant was murdered. During the course of the investigation, detectives determined that Wheeler had been involved in an altercation with several suspects prior to his murder.

• Russell K. Lopez, 18, surrendered to Orleans Parish Sheriff's deputies last Sunday (12.5.10). He is being held in OPP on $500,000 bond.
  

• His mother, Nakia Lopez, 35, was arrested by the NOPD the day before (12.4.10) and charged as an accessory after the fact for allegedly helping her son flee to Atlanta. She got out of OPP the next day on $25,000 bond.

• Glenn Tate, 21, was booked into Central Lock-Up on Tuesday (12.7.10) around 1:30 p.m. after surrendering to Orleans Parish Sheriff's deputies. He was charged with 2nd-degree murder. He is being held on $750,000 bond.

He pled guilty last year to unauthorized use of a motor vehicle after being arrested for carjacking and armed robbery with a firearm in 2008. He was given a 10-year suspended sentence by Judge Terry Alarcon and was supposed to be on 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.

• Cursheika Hartford, 20, turned herself in Wednesday (12.8.10) to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office and was booked with accessory after the fact to 2nd-degree murder. Her bond was set at $25,000, but Judge Frank Marullo Jr. set her free on her own recognizance.

She was arrested for illegal possession of stolen things in 2008 when she was 17, but the District Attorney refused to prosecute.

Previously arrested were:

• Shawn A. Breaux, 18, surrendered to the NOPD at 7:30 p.m. on 12.2.10. He is being held on $500,000 bond. He pled guilty earlier this year to carrying a concealed weapon and was given a 6-month suspended sentence by Judge Keva Landrum-Johnson.

• Michael S. Hales, 18, captured by the U.S. Marshals Taskforce on 12.3.10 along with Jarod Cooley and booked into Central Lock-up. He is being held on $750,000 bond. He was free on $15,000 bond while being prosecuted for felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile and was supposed to be under a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew.

• Jarod Cooley, 19, captured by the U.S. Marshals Taskforce on 12.3.10 along with Michael S. Hales and booked into Central Lock-up. He is being held on $750,000 bond. He was arrested last year for illegally carrying a weapon; charge dropped by District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro.

• Cooley's girlfriend, Kierra Cooper, 17, was arrested last Friday (12.3.10) and charged as an accessory after the fact for harboring fugitives when U.S. Marshals found Cooley and Hales holed up in her house in Hollygrove. She is being held on $25,000 bond.
  

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

Sunday (11.28.10)

Theft, 448 Julia, 1:58 a.m.
Theft, 830 St. Phillip, 8:44 a.m.
Auto Theft, 700 Governor Nicholls, 12:51 p.m.
Auto Theft, 542 Tchoupitoulas, 1:05 p.m.
Auto Theft, Cleveland & La Salle, 7:40 p.m.
Theft, 711 Tchoupitoulas, 9:44 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 901 Ursulines, 10:16 p.m.

Monday (11.29.10)

Attempted Murder, 828 S. Peters, 3:28 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1350 Bourbon, 7:55 a.m.
Theft, 121 Camp, 8:22 a.m.
Auto Theft, 800 Camp, 10:03 a.m.
Auto Theft, 1000 Gov Nicholls, 1:11 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 900 Gov Nicholls, 7:26 p.m.

Tuesday (11.30.10)

Theft, Esplanade Ave & N Peters, 10:00 a.m.
Shoplifting, 134 Royal, 6:14 p.m.

Wednesday (12.1.10)

Aggravated Battery, 100 Carondelet, 4:16 a.m.

Thursday (12.2.10)

Theft, 208 Bourbon, 11:10 a.m.
Shoplifting, 232 Bourbon, 5:37 p.m.
Theft, 344 Camp, 7:40 p.m.
Theft, 611 Bourbon, 8:01 p.m.

Friday (12.3.10)

Theft, 228 Poydras, 3:55 a.m.
Theft, 301 Dauphine, 11:01 a.m.
Theft, 711 Canal, 11:27 a.m.
Theft, 301 Dauphine, 12:10 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 Royal, 1:17 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 600 Dauphine, 1:58 p.m.
Theft, 437 Esplanade, 3:20 p.m.
Auto Theft, Chartres & Elysian Fields, 11:01 p.m.

Saturday (12.4.10)

Auto Burglary, 900 Elysian Fields, 7:25 a.m.
Shoplifting, 145 Elk Place, 10:37 a.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Fussing and fighting

Say what?: Never mind that a popular French Quarter bartender was shot to death, 2 other men were gunned down on Bourbon Street, and a patron of a well-known nightclub was nearly stabbed to death and the bar's bouncer lost his ear:

Police Chief Ronal Serpas claims crime was down significantly during this past weekend's Bayou Classic.

Just goes to show how wild and woolly those 4 days are. (Someone said it's the only event all year that bartenders at Tropical Isle's bars pack sidearms. Don't know about that.)

Trouble is, it's hard to tell what he's measuring. He says there were 18 major crimes this year, down 46% from last year when there were 33 on Bayou Classic weekend. (Quite frankly, my tally of the number of shootings last year is far higher than his.)

But after stating the number of crimes, he goes on to enumerate the number of arrests this year and in the preceding 3 years. In truth, the totals are about the same.

The difference this year seems to be in more arrests on state charges and fewer on municipal charges; in previous years there were more municipal offenses. This year the NOPD noted for the first time the number of juvenile cases: one arrest and 48 curfew arrests (yea!).

Suspected: 3 of 6 black kids have been rounded up by police as suspects in the gunslaying of popular Pat O'Brien's bartender Earl Weaver the morning after Thanksgiving on the streets of the French Quarter. The manhunt is still on for the other 3 as of late Friday (12.3.10) afternoon.

NOPD homicide detective Melanie Dillon positively identified the following suspects and obtained arrest warrants for each of them on second-degree murder charges:

• Shawn A. Breaux, 18, surrendered to NOPD at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (12.2.10). Being held on $500,000 bond. Pled guilty earlier this year to carrying a concealed weapon; given a 6-month suspended sentence by Judge Keva Landrum-Johnson.

• Michael S. Hales, 18, captured by the U.S. Marshals Taskforce today (12.3.10) along with Jarod Cooley and booked into Central Lock-up. Was free on $15,000 bond while being prosecuted for felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile; was supposed to be under a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew.
  

• Jarod Cooley, 19, captured by the U.S. Marshals Taskforce today (12.3.10) along with Michael S. Hales and booked into Central Lock-up. Arrested last year for illegally carrying a weapon; charge dropped by District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro.

• Russell Lopez, 19, still at large. No known adult criminal record.
  

• Cursheika Hartford, 20, female, still at large. Arrested for illegal possession of stolen things in 2008 when she was 17; District Attorney refused to prosecute.
  

• Glenn Tate, 21, still at large. Pled guilty last year to unauthorized use of a motor vehicle after being arrested for carjacking and armed robbery with a firearm in 2008; given a 10-year suspended sentence by Judge Terry Alarcon; was supposed to be on 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.
  

Weaver, 21, was gunned down just before 3:30 a.m. last Friday (11.26.10) at Dauphine and Canal streets, just a block from where a Marine Corps sergeant was stabbed to death on Halloween.

8th District cops responded to a call of a "male shot" and arrived to find Weaver lying on the sidewalk suffering from apparent multiple gunshot wounds. EMTs took him by ambulance to LSU Trauma Center where he later died.

Various video surveillance cameras around the scene showed the alleged perpetrators as they hung around Canal Street and later fled to their cars after the crime.

What happens in Baton Rouge...: Two thugs from Baton Rouge apparently brought their feud to Bourbon Street last Sunday (11.28.10) shortly after midnight.

A 23-year-old victim spotted a black boy who had shot him before in Baton Rouge. This time the boy pulled his gun and plugged the dude in the abdomen and wounded a 39-year-old male bystander in the leg in the 500 block of Bourbon Street.

EMTs hauled both victims to the hospital, where both are in stable condition.

Although a huge contingent of cops on horseback, bicycles, and foot within feet of the shooting and responded within seconds of hearing gunshots, they were unable to apprehend the perp.

8th District Det. Michael Flores developed a detailed description of the shooter: black, 17 years old, 5'5" tall, weighing 120 pounds, with a dark complexion and a very low and even haircut, wearing a blue pullover sweatshirt with a hood and black pants, and is believed to be from Baton Rouge.

Lend me an ear: Not really funny when you consider that was the aftermath of a brawl at Republic New Orleans, 828 S. Peters St., on Monday (11.29.10). Two brothers allegedly got into a fight with a 26-year-old local man there around 3:28 a.m. in which the victim wound up stabbed in the head and the 33-year-old bouncer had his ear bitten off when he tried to break up the altercation.

Several Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff's deputies who were working a paid detail in the nightclub (so much for their crimefighting prowess) detained Michael Cameron (pictured), 29, and Jeremy Cameron, 24, until the NOPD arrived.

EMTs took both victims to the hospital where the 26-year-old man stabbed in the head was listed in critical condition and the bouncer was in stable condition.

Police originally charged both brothers with aggravated battery, but Jeremy, whom police reports say bit the ear off, was freed and charges dropped. The charge against Michael was changed to attempted 2nd-degree murder; he is being held in OPP on $400,000 bond.

He was charged last year for aggravated battery, but the charge was dropped early this year by the District Attorney.

Getting the guns off the street: It may have been a day late and a dollar short, as they say, but 8th District cops busted 2 thugs for packing heat on Bourbon Street on Saturday (11.27.10)--the day after the bartender was gunned down.

• Lareco Harrison, 21, was seen by officers pulling out a Taurus .40-caliber handgun in the middle of the crowd and holding it in the air while posing for a picture in the 400 block of Bourbon. When Harrison saw he had been made by the officers on foot, he tried fleeing into a bar.

He was arrested and charged with illegally carrying a weapon. He was released on $5,000 bond.

• Phillip Craig, 18, was walking in the 100 block of Bourbon when officers observed what appeared to be the butt of a gun protruding from underneath his shirt. He was detained and the officers discovered a Cobra .38-caliber handgun in his waistband. A check of the gun's serial number revealed it had been stolen in Assumption Parish.

Craig was charged with illegally carrying a weapon and illegal possession of a stolen firearm. He was released on $10,000 bond.

Typical Saturday night?: A NOcrimeline reader happened to be listening to 8th District channel on the police radio, and here's what he said he heard in only 3 hours:

• 2 men shot on Bourbon
  
• 4 fights on Bourbon (all on different blocks)
• 2 fights on Canal Street, one involved a "large group of men"
• a gun call on Canal Street
  
• a fight on Decatur Street
  
• a fight inside a hotel room on Dauphine Street
  
• a stampede on Bourbon after the shooting
• employees of Cafe Beignet on Bourbon locked themselves in a back room because they were fearful of the crowd inside their place (related to the shooting)
• an unresponsive woman on Bourbon
• a woman on Canal thought to have a broken leg
• an officer witnessed and gave chase to someone in a green jacket who "cold cocked" someone on Bourbon
• NOPD thought the shooter went inside Bourbon Cowboy and their special operations team went in looking.

And that's just in 3 hours. Who says the cops don't have plenty to handle on any given night?

Oh, yeah...robbers are back: After last week's short respite, the robbers have returned:

• Tuesday (11.23.10) 10:04 p.m.: Two white men, one 63 and the other 26, were walking to their car near Burgundy and Touro streets when they were accosted by 2 black thugs. One of the blacks pulled a chrome pistol, loaded it and fired it into the ground, and then demanded the victims' cash. The robbers fled in a dark-colored SUV.

The victims remembered little except the robbers were black--and the gun shot.

• Tuesday (11.23.10) 10:02 p.m.: 4 young black punks who thought they saw a 34-year-old white guy as easy prey in the 1200 block of Chartres Street (between Barracks and Gov. Nicholls streets) were surprised when they demanded his money. They got his money--then they got a dose of pepper spray from the victim.

It didn't take 8th District officers long to round up Steven D. Jackson, 18, Charles Lloyd III, 17, Corey M. Ratcliff, 18, and Damien C. White Jr., 17.

All were charged with simple robbery, but since newly-appointed magistrate Robert Blackburn set their bond at only $5,000 a piece, all are back out running the streets before their mugshots could be gathered.

• Saturday (11.27.10) 5:30 a.m.: A 32-year-old white man walking in the 600 block of Bourbon Street (between Toulouse and St. Peter streets) was knocked to the ground by a black guy who tried to empty his pockets.

Instead, police arrested Kevin Morris, 42, and charged him with attempted simple robbery. He is in OPP on $7,500 bond.

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

Sunday (11.21.10)

Auto Burglary, Gravier & S Rampart, 6:17 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 100 N Rampart, 8:42 p.m.
Auto Burglary, Common & S Rampart, 10:03 p.m.
Aggravated Assault, Canal & University, 10:29 p.m.

Monday (11.22.10)

Armed Robbery, 900 Burgundy, 12:30 a.m.
Theft, 726 St Peter, 2:23 a.m.
Armed Robbery, Conti & Dauphine, 3:22 a.m.
Theft, 423 Canal, 9:58 a.m.
Residence Burglary, 700 block of Ursulines, 5:02 p.m.
Purse Snatching, 500 Dauphine, 9:58 p.m.

Tuesday (11.23.10)

Shoplifting, 717 Canal St. , 9:42 a.m.
Shoplifting, 301 Canal St. , 6:47 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 1200 Chartres St., 10:02 p.m.
Armed Robbery, Burgundy & Touro, 10:04 p.m.

Wednesday (11.24.10)

Auto Burglary, 818 Iberville, 12:39 a.m.
Auto Theft, 900 Touro, 8:09 a.m.
Theft, 1440 Canal St., 10:09 a.m.
Shoplifting, 333 Chartres , 1:16 p.m.
Auto Theft, Loyola & Poydras, 4:54 p.m.
Shoplifting, 400 N Peters , 8:42 p.m.

Thursday (11.25.10)

Auto Burglary, 1000 Bienville , 2:09 a.m.,

Friday (11.26.10)

Auto Burglary, Dauphine & Iberville, 12:30 a.m.
Murder, 900 Canal Street , 3:27 a.m.
Auto Burglary, Chartres & Kerlerec, 7:09 a.m.
Auto Theft, Frenchmen & Chartres, 10:24 a.m.
Shoplifting, 114 Baronne, 3:50 p.m.

Saturday (11.27.10)

Simple Robbery, 600 Bourbon, 5:30 a.m.
Theft, 800 Baronne, 8:29 a.m.
Shoplifting, 148 Carondelet, 8:14 p.m.
Bicycle Theft, 534 Frenchmen , 10:01 p.m.
Aggravated Battery , 500 Bourbon , 11:59 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Not one single robbery

Last week: I don't know that I've ever seen this in the nearly 4 years NOcrimeline has been published: There was not a single robbery last week (from Sunday 11.14 to Saturday 11.20) in the 8th District (the French Quarter, Marigny Triangle, and CBD/Warehouse District).

There weren't even any physical fracases. There were a half dozen auto thefts, a few auto burglaries, and a number of other thefts, but no one was accosted and robbed. Not even for a cellphone.

Not sure what to attribute that to. More cops on patrol? More mounted units? That's this weekend for the Bayou Classic, which tends to get a little rambunctious around Canal Street. Did I hear correctly there would be 200 MORE officers and 80 mounted cops on patrol?

Or are the bad guys finally getting the message that the NOPD since Chief Serpas has been in charge for the past 6 months is not going to stand for the crap from the past and is profiling them in case something happens?

Of course, this is a new week: Nothing lasts forever and a few robbers got back in the act this past Monday (11.22.10):

• 12:30 a.m.: Two white guys, 24 and 28, were walking in the 900 block of Burgundy Street (between Dumaine and St. Philip streets) when they were accosted by 4 black thugs. One of them pulled a pistol and demanded the victims' money. Then the victims complied, they were told to walk away and not look back.

All 4 of the robbers were described as 20 to 25 years old and 5'8" to 5'10" tall; 3 were guessed to weigh 140 pounds each, but no weight estimate was given for the 4th culprit. One had short hair; hair wasn't described on the other 3. They were variously dressed in dark jeans, a dark short-sleeved shirt, a white T-shirt, a red hooded sweatshirt.

• 3:20 a.m.: A 28-year-old white woman walking near Conti and Dauphine streets was jumped by 2 blacks. One knocked her to the ground and the other held a weapon of some sort to her back, while they grabbed her purse. The robbers fled on foot up Dauphine toward Bienville Street.

The victim said she thinks the robbers were males in drag. One she described as having long dark hair, a muscular build with broad shoulders, wearing a dark tight-fitted top, red tutu-style skirt and knee-high boots. The other also had long dark hair, a muscular build with broad shoulders, wearing all dark clothing.

• 10 p.m.: A 25-year-old white woman walking on Dauphine Street near Toulouse Street was attacked by a gang of 6 black chicks who struck her, knocked her to the ground and snatched away her purse.

The girls were all described as 17 to 18 years old. One was described as 5'2" tall and fat, wearing a black tank top and red pants. The others were described variously as wearing a plaid skirt, light-colored denims and a white tank top, denims and a white T-shirt, denims and a blue shirt.

Can't we all just get along: Last Sunday (11.21.10) a group of white folks, 2 men and 3 women, were walking on Canal Street near University Place around 10:25 p.m. when they got into a fight with 2 black dudes. One of the blacks pulled a gun and pointed it at the whites then fled on foot.

The cops caught up with Tydric Martin (top), 21, and Kava Rankins (below), 20, and a pistol. Both were charged with 5 counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and 2 counts of simple battery.

The magistrate found no probable cause for one count of aggravated assault and released Martin on $10,000 bond on Tuesday (11.23.10).

The magistrate dropped all charges of aggravated assault on Rankins and released him on $2,000 bond on Wednesday (11.24.10).

Oh...and a murder: Details are still skimpy on the murder of a 21-year-old man this morning (11.26.10) around 3:30 a.m. at Dauphine and Canal streets.

8th District cops responded to a call of a "male shot" and arrived to find the victim lying on the sidewalk suffering from apparent multiple gunshot wounds. EMTs took him by ambulance to LSU Trauma Center where he later died.

Investigators said they learned the victim had been involved in an argument shortly before the shooting.

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

Sunday (11.14.10)

Theft, 859 Convention Center, 12:35 a.m.
Auto Theft, 1200 N Rampart, 10:45 a.m.
Auto Theft, 275 La Salle, 1:08 p.m.
Auto Theft, 275 La Salle, 3:24 p.m.
Pickpocketing, 1038 Bourbon, 10:54 p.m.

Monday (11.15.10)

Theft, Canal & S Rampart, 11:14 a.m.
Theft, 240 Decatur, 2:02 p.m.
Theft, 1 Canal, 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday (11.16.10)

None

Wednesday (11.17.10)

None

Thursday (11.18.10)

Theft, 1123 Decatur, 3:58 a.m.
Auto Theft, Penn & Poydras, 9:38 a.m.
Theft, 1450 Poydras, 10:55 a.m.
Auto Theft, 900 Barracks, 12:50 p.m.
Theft, 800 Decatur, 3:00 p.m.

Friday (11.19.10)

Theft, 632 Bourbon, 1:01 a.m.
Theft, 226 Carondelet, 8:08 a.m.
Auto Theft, Bienville & Clinton, 2:44 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 700 Fulton, 4:53 p.m.
Theft, 346 Baronne, 4:52 p.m.

Saturday (11.20.10)

Auto Burglary, Burgundy & Iberville, 4:07 a.m.
Theft, 800 Iberville, 9:46 a.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Not bad, not bad at all

Been waiting to say that: Don't know when we've seen such a quiet week in the French Quarter. Only one armed robbery (previously reported here) and 3 simple robberies marred the week; even auto thefts (4) and auto burglaries (1) were down significantly. The 2 robberies not previously reported were both last Saturday (11.13.10):

• 3:40 a.m.: A 44-year-old white man standing near Orleans Avenue and N. Rampart Street had his wallet snatched from his hand by a white guy who fled on foot on Orleans toward Bourbon Street.

The only description of the robber, other than he was white, was he had brown dreadlocks and was wearing all dark clothing.

• 4:00 p.m.: Maybe not as vicious as "Dancing With The Stars", but 4 black boys who tap dance on Bourbon Street ganged up on 2 other dancers, a 14-year-old black boy and 13-year-old black girl, and robbed them near Audubon Aquarium, taking money from their pockets.

The robbers hotfooted it along the river to St. Louis Street where they turned toward Bourbon.

The young miscreants were described as 12 to 15 years of age, mostly pint-sized 4'9" to 5'4" tall, wearing the usual garb of street dancers. No word on whether the police rounded up the little bounders yet.

Ready, aim, rev: An 8th District officer was nearly run over while conducting a traffic stop at S. Peters and Poydras streets around 7:30 p.m. last Friday (11.12.10).

According to the police report, Gerry Mays, 24, attempted to hit the cop with his car. After a short pursuit, cops caught up with Mays and booked him with aggravated assault and vehicle negligent injury.

The mere $10,000 bond was not enough to keep Mays in jail long enough to get his picture.

It wasn't Mays' first attempt to take out an officer; in 2004 he was charged with battery on a police officer and resisting an officer.

Got another one: 8th District detectives took down Joseph Ceasar, 32, last week (11.9.10) for a robbery 4 days earlier in the 900 block of Gov. Nicholls Street.

In that incident, 3 older white women, two 58 and one 64 years old, were walking on Gov. Nicholls Street around 1:10 a.m. when a dark-colored 4-door sedan stopped next to them and a black guy got out, pulled a pistol, and demanded their money. The women gamely refused, but the robber grabbed one woman's purse from her shoulder and fled in the car on Gov. Nicholls toward the river.

Ceasar was arrested without incident at 1422 Louisa St. and charged with first-degree robbery. He is being held in OPP on only $35,000 bond.

That's a far cry from the $500,000 bond he was held on 10 years ago when he was charged with 2 counts of armed robbery and 4 of first-degree robbery.

In that case, Ceasar was sentenced to 10 years in prison "without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence." If my calculations are correct, he just got out of Angola earlier this year.

Looks like doing hard time made little impression on him.

Another rape: Some people just set themselves up to be victims--even if you want to blame it on the alcohol.

According to the NOPD report, a woman (no age or race given) was drinking at the Three-Legged Dog at 400 Burgundy St. last Friday (11.12.10) around 4 a.m. The next thing she remembered was waking up inside a car driven by a black dude. He told her he was taking her to his apartment; the woman lost consciousness again. The next time she came to, she was inside an apartment and had been sexually assaulted. The suspect was gone.

Police are seeking a light-complected black guy with a chubby face and short hair, and are seeking to develop a better description. The suspect will be charged with aggravated rape.

If you have any information, you can call the Sex Crimes squad at 658-5521 or CrimeStoppers at 822-1111.

Walk and talk with the Chief: NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas, 8th District commander Capt. Edwin Hosli, members of the 8th District and other city leaders will walk together in the monthly community anti-crime walk next Tuesday (11.23.10) at 5 p.m.

The walk will begin at Chartres and St. Peter streets (by Jackson Square), then...

• proceed down St. Peter Street (3 blocks),
• turn left on Dauphine Street (4 blocks),
• turn right on Bienville Street (one block),
• turn right on Burgundy Street (3 blocks),
• turn right on Toulouse Street (4 blocks),
• end at Chartres and Toulouse.

The community walk provides an opportunity to meet and interact with the police officers who serve the neighborhood and to send the message all are standing together to combat violence.

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

Sunday (11.07.10)

Auto Theft, S Peters & Poydras, 12:40 p.m.
Aggravated Battery, 700 Chartres, 3:03 p.m.
Armed Robbery, St Ann & the River, 10:42 p.m.

Monday (11.08.10)

Theft, 821 St Charles, 9:37 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 300 Bourbon, 12:54 p.m.
Shoplifting, 812 Royal, 2:04 p.m.
Theft, 200 S Villere, 4:25 p.m.

Tuesday (11.09.10)

Theft, 1831 N Rampart, 12:27 p.m.
Bicycle Theft, 400 Dauphine, 12:27 p.m.
Theft, 123 Baronne, 12:56 p.m.
Pickpocketing, 800 Decatur, 5:17 p.m.

Wednesday (11.10.10)

Theft, 2000 Royal, 7:19 a.m.
Shoplifting, 134 Royal, 6:31 p.m.

Thursday (11.11.10)

Bicycle Theft, Bienville & N Rampart, 7:10 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 1001 N Peters, 4:30 p.m.

Friday (11.12.10)

Shoplifting, 145 Elk, 8:53 a.m.
Auto Theft, 535 Barracks, 10:39 a.m.
Theft, 618 Julia, 11:19 a.m.
Theft, 444 St Charles, 11:48 a.m.
Auto Theft, 617 Barracks, 12:09 p.m.
Auto Theft, Convention Center & Poydras, 2:02 p.m.
Theft, 555 Canal, 2:17 p.m.
Aggravated Assault, S Peters & Poydras, 7:29 p.m.
Theft, 535 Julia, 10:02 p.m.
Theft, 700 Baronne, 11:40 p.m.

Saturday (11.13.10)

Simple Robbery, Orleans & N Rampart, 3:58 a.m.
Bicycle Theft, 1440 Canal, 8:43 a.m.
Theft, 813 Decatur, 8:46 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 1 Canal, 3:58 p.m.

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

Thom Kahler

Mopping up

That's what it feels like: After all the mayhem over the Halloween/VooDoo/Saints-Steelers weekend, it seemed downright quiet this past week. Except the 8th District NOPD managed to put the collar on some suspects and they've come up with a computer composite of the killer of that Marine Corps sergeant.

Homicide Det. Andrew Packer, who seems to get the most difficult murder cases in the department (he's the one who came up with the suspect last month in the Ryan Trosclair murder by burning), has now developed the most detailed perpetrator description you've probably ever seen come out of the NOPD.

The description Det. Packer elicited from witnesses to the stabbing death of Sgt. Ryan Lekosky on 10.31.10 at Dauphine and Iberville streets reads: "African-American male, mid-30's in age, 5’8” in height, dark complexion with a small to medium build, around 165 to 170 pounds. He was wearing gold-framed aviator-type sunglasses with black lenses, possibly one diamond stud earring in each ear, button-down collared peach short-sleeve shirt, blue jeans, light colored alligator boots."

(An earlier description of the suspect being bald and having a short beard is now described as a "fade" haircut, which is barely visible, and likewise with the beard.)

The description of the perp's vehicle given by witnesses is not as elaborate. They could only say it was black-colored, 4-door SUV that seemed to sideswipe another vehicle in the 100 block of Dauphine as it headed toward Canal Street. Aided by surveillance video from nearby businesses, Det. Packer has narrowed the year of the vehicle to within 3 years.

Sgt. Lekosky, 23, and his wife were walking around 3:30 a.m. after leaving the Marine Corps Ball at the Marriott Hotel on Canal. The perp, driving up Dauphine, made rude remarks about Mrs. Lekosky as he drove by and got into a shouting match with her. The perp got out of his SUV to continue the argument face to face when Sgt. Lekosky intervened to protect his wife and was stabbed. He died from his wounds at 7:05 a.m. at University Hospital.

What's it with the Moonwalk?: The Moonwalk along the river is usually a tranquil haven, disturbed only occasionally by panhandling gutter punks. But for the third time in the past week, sojourners there have been attacked by gangs.

This time, a white couple, he 66 years old, she 61, were assailed by 2 black thugs, one with a gun who demanded their money. The victims complied and the 2 robbers hightailed it out of there down St. Peter Street along with 2 other black gang members who were lurking in the shadows.

One robber was described as 6'2" tall, weighing 200 pounds, with a short haircut, wearing a gray sweatshirt and dark pants; the other was 5'8" tall, wearing all dark clothing; the other 2 were described only as "black".

How'd these guys get out?: Under kind of weird circumstances, Steven Bacala, 31, was arrested last week and charged with armed robbery for an incident 9.23.10 in the 500 block of Dumaine Street around 10:45 p.m. in which a 30-year-old white guy was knocked to the ground and had his pockets emptied.

So this week, NOPD headquarters puts out a list of arrests by its Special Operations Unit. What it says about the collar on Bacala 11.3.10 is very vague: He "was arrested in another state and then picked up by the District Attorney's office and transported back to New Orleans" and "turned over to the Violent Offenders Warrant Squad...and was booked accordingly."

Never heard of anything like that before. What state? When? DA handling extradition? Who knows?

Tell me this: how does a guy who's supposedly pulling petty heists in the French Quarter come up with a $75,000 bond to get out of jail? You'd think they might hold him long enough for him to rat out his accomplice.

The robber was described as a white guy, 35 years old, 5'8" to 5'9" tall, with a thin build and black hair, and wearing a white T-shirt and black pants, and his buddy who is described the same.

And figure this one out too. Last Friday (11.5.10), 8th District cops threw Dwayne White, 24, into Central Lockup and booked him with simple robbery after he allegedly snatched money out of a 28-year-old white woman's hand at Conti and Bourbon streets around 2 p.m.

But before his mugshot is snapped, he manages to come up with enough moolah for a $20,000 bond the next day. Once again: how does a young black guy who's allegedly reduced to fleecing cash out of citizen's hands come up with that kind of loot?

Hardly worth mentioning: If it's not important enough for the victim to report he's been robbed until 4 days later, why should we care? I guess only to protect ourselves from a similar fate.

Seems a 46-year-old white man was walking in the 300 block of Bourbon Street (between Bienville and Conti streets) around 10 p.m. last Thursday (11.4.10) when a black thug came up and threw him against the wall and cleaned his pockets.

The robber, described as 6'5" tall, weighing 270 pounds, wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans, fled on foot toward Canal Street.

The victim didn't report the crime until Monday (11.8.10). Couldn't have taken him that long to sober up--and I think I'd be impressed by a gorilla that huge that I'd want the cops to get him off the street.

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

Sunday (10.31.10)

Auto Theft, 200 Chartres, 1:16 a.m.
Simple Robbery, Bourbon & St Louis, 1:41 a.m.
Purse Snatching, 333 Poydras, 3:20 a.m.
Murder, Dauphine & Iberville, 3:38 a.m.
Aggravated Assault, 240 Bourbon, 4:21 a.m.
Theft, Julia & St Charles, 7:48 a.m.
Theft, 800 Canal, 9:26 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 844 Baronne, 12:18 p.m.
Theft, 838 Canal, 1:00 p.m.

Monday (11.1.10)

Attempted Murder, 100 Bourbon, 1:02 a.m.
Murder, Burgundy & St Louis, 6:38 a.m.
Auto Burglary, N Rampart & St Louis, 9:34 a.m.
Theft, 1227 Tulane, 2:00 p.m.
Auto Theft, 500 Madison, 4:41 p.m.

Tuesday (11.2.10)

Pursesnatching, Bourbon & St Ann, 12:19 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1000 St Louis, 9:00 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 716 Dauphine, 12:57 p.m.
Rape, 500 Gov Nicholls, 3:37 p.m.

Wednesday (11.3.10)

Auto Theft, Poydras & St Charles, 2:08 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 900 Burgundy, 3:16 a.m.
Theft, 1010 Common, 6:12 p.m.
Aggravated Battery, St Charles & St Joseph, 6:38 p.m.

Thursday (11.4.10)

Simple Robbery, 800 St Louis, 2:14 a.m.
Theft, 900 Convention Center, 10:09 a.m.
Theft, 710 Baronne, 12:15 p.m.
Shoplifting, 900 Convention Center, 4:06 p.m.

Friday (11.5.10)

Armed Robbery, 900 Gov Nicholls, 1:09 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 511 Bourbon, 1:50 a.m.
Theft, 910 Iberville, 2:15 a.m.
Auto Theft, 535 Tchoupitoulas, 7:47 a.m.
Auto Theft, 200 Camp, 10:37 a.m.
Simple Robbery, Conti & Bourbon, 2:08 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 930 Elysian Fields, 9:03 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 1500 Poydras, 10:11 p.m.

Saturday (11.6.10)

Theft, 620 Iberville, 1:07 p.m.
Theft, 900 Convention Center, 1:26 p.m.
Theft, 124 Royal, 1:53 p.m.
Pickpocketing, Bienville & Bourbon, 2:03 p.m.

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

Thom Kahler