Christmas Eve-il

Where was his momma?: What the hell was a 17-year-old black boy doing hanging out in a bar on Frenchmen Street in the wee hours of the morning?

That's supposedly what Shaquile Gilmore was doing before he was gunned down by another kid he got into a beef with in The Maison, a popular club just a few doors from Chartres and Frenchmen streets, where the shooting happened at 1:15 a.m. Sunday (12.26.10).

8th District detectives are calling it attempted murder after the shooter pumped 6 shots into Gilmore's stomach. Gilmore is hospitalized in critical condition.

Witnesses described the gunman as a black dude, 19 to 22 years old, 5'7" tall, weighing 190 pounds, wearing a gray sweatshirt and blue jeans. He fled in a dark-colored sedan, possibly a Nissan, down Chartres toward Elysian Fields Avenue.

Detectives are canvassing the area, looking for video that might help them identify the perp or his ride.

To ask the question again: What the hell are these kids doing running around at this hour of the night? Use the curfew laws to get them off the streets--and confiscate their guns.

Traffic stops runaway murderer: You hear all this talk about how the cops ought to ignore the minor crimes and concentrate on the major ones. Well consider this:

Last Wednesday (12.22.10) night 2 officers in the 8th District's "Canal Street Enhancement Unit" noticed the license plate on a vehicle was askew in some way.

Ofc. Kelsey Lewis and Ofc. Teddy McCann pulled the driver over in the 800 block of Canal and started writing a ticket for that and numerous other traffic violations. By the time they were done, they found the driver, Daniel McCravy, 22, was wanted for murder in Hot Springs, Arkansas--a killing that happened in September, 2009.

So the simple observation of a minor traffic infraction by these 2 NOPD officers took a wanted murderer--who had been on the lam for more than a year--off the streets.

Now it's murder: The Cameron brothers--who wreaked havoc on a Warehouse District night club last month--are in deeper trouble now.

Michael Cameron (pictured), 29, who was initially charged with aggravated battery and attempted murder after he allegedly stabbed a patron of Republic New Orleans on 11.29.10, was charged Thursday (12.23.10) with second-degree murder after his victim died last week.

According to investigators, Michael and his brother, Jeremy, 24, got into a ruckus with the club's bouncer. When patron Eric Roy, 26, tried to intervene, Michael allegedly stabbed him in the head; Jeremy allegedly bit the bouncer's ear off.

Michael is in OPP on $500,000 bond; Jeremy was set free on $7,500 bond.

How drunk can you be?: A fella who'd been drinking with some buddies in the French Quarter early Christmas Eve day got separated from them, so he tried to find their car. But when he couldn't, he decided to walk home. Since he lived in Slidell, he decided to walk toward I-10 eastbound. Makes about as much sense as you can when you're drunk.

When he got to N. Clairborne Avenue and Lafitte Street around 5:55 a.m., he was met by a native, who proved definitely unfriendly. The hood pulled a small silver-colored handgun and demanded the drunk's money. The misguided boozer gave up the last $48 from his pants pocket. The robber fled.

It's not known how or when the victim ever got home.

Muddled mayhem: You wonder just how long Super Chief Ronal Serpas is going to put up with sloppy police work--particularly from his Public Information Office. Here's a good case in point:

The PIO in a press release Sunday (12.26.10) trumpeted: "NOPD 8th District Patrol Officers Arrested a Repeat and Violent Offender Immediately after Stabbing on St. Charles Avenue." (Serpas is big on letting you know how quickly an arrest is made after a crime.)

Serpas crowed: "...another violent and repeat offender has been arrested and taken off the streets..." He should have waited to brag.

The press release claimed the officers had arrested "53-year-old Tyronne Miller" (with 2 "n"s) for stabbing his 44-year-old roommate several times in the back. It went on to state: "Miller has prior arrests for Armed Robbery, Attempted Armed Robbery, Theft, Simple Robbery, Resisting Arrest, Burglary, Possession of Stolen Property, and Drug Law Violations."

The problem is: The only guy named "Miller" arrested for aggravated battery on 12.26.10 is a Tyrone Miller (with one "n") who is 54 years old, not 53.

And, in the records of Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, there is NO indication that this Miller has previously been charged for anything. There are other Tyrone or Tyronne Millers, but none of them have amassed the felonious record the PIO claimed.

It looks like Serpas was given him sloppy information by the PIO. They couldn't even spell the suspect's name correctly or give his correct age. And there's no evidence the guy might be the perp has any sort of criminal record.

And to say that the suspect was arrested by the swift action of the NOPD after the victim called 911 to report his roommate had stabbed him is a real stretch. C'mon, man!

(This sloppy PIO information occurs much more than you think good police work would allow. In the item above about the Arkansas murder fugitive, the PIO spelled the suspect's name as "McCarvy"; it's McCravy. The officers who made the collar were only identified as "Officer Kelsey and Officer McCann." When we asked for first names, it came back that "Kelsey" was the first name and "Lewis" was the last name; McCann's first name is Teddy.)

When you get so much misinformation, you can't help but wonder how much of the rest of it is accurate. If Super Serpas is really concerned about making the NOPD the best it can be, he needs to start paying heed to the information it is spewing out.

At it again?: Haven't we seen this movie before? Guy walks in to bar, pulls a gun, demands money from the cash register, bartender surrenders the loot, robber flees but is arrested short time later.

Yup. Happened again at Buffa's Bar & Restaurant, 1001 Esplanade Ave., just before midnight Sunday (12.26.10). It took 8th District officers responding to the scene no time at all to arrest Travis Chapuis, 25, and charge him with armed robbery.

Chapuis has been arrested before for a similar caper. He was charged after the St. Charles Bar & Billards, 736 St. Charles Ave., was knocked over by an armed robber using virtually the same MO in the summer of 2009.

Ironically, Buffa's was robbed about the same time that summer. And District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro refused the charges against both Chapuis and the accused robber of Buffa's without explanation. How about doing your job this time, Leon, and protect us from thugs like these.

Woman leads them astray: It's not the first time in history it's happened, of course. But 2 young men, 24 and 25, made the acquaintance of a petite blond in the 200 block of Bourbon Street early on Christmas Eve (12.24.10) morning around 12:39 a.m.

After what the police report said were "some brief negotiations," the 2 guys agreed to walk with the young chick to an unspecified destination. While meandering for some time, the girl chatted numerous times on her cellphone, until they got to Dauphine and Gov. Nicholls streets where a black dude accosted them with a revolver and demanded the men's money. The victims refused and fought off the would-be robber before fleeing--looking back to see the thug fire 2 shots at them.

Police said the victims appeared to be intoxicated--imagine that--and neither was able to describe the dude. One victim didn't want to answer any questions at all, but the other couldn't forget the blond chick: White female, 4'10" to 5' tall, thin build. You can imagine the visions of sugarplums dancing in his head, but cops were unable to locate any such female after the incident.

Detectives did locate a video surveillance camera that showed the black gunman getting into a tan or gold Honda parked at Dauphine and Esplanade Avenue.

They are canvassing the area for additional video surveillance and for witnesses. They will re-interview the victims after they sober up.

According to Chief Serpas, the 8th District has established a Narcotics/Vice unit which has been targeting street-level narcotics and prostitution. As of August 2010, the 8th District's unit has investigated 22 prostitution cases resulting in 30 arrests.

Taking instead of giving: Not exactly in the spirit of "better to give than receive," the victims did the giving in these cases:

• Sunday (12.26.10) 10:05 p.m.: A 29-year-old white woman walking in the 700 block of Kerlerec Street (between Bourbon and Royal streets) was knocked to the ground by a black hoodlum who grabbed her purse and fled.

He was described as 20 to 25 years old, with a slim build and dark complexion, wearing a red baseball cap, off-white sweater and blue jeans.

• Wednesday (12.22.10) 9:00 p.m.: A white guy got into a cab on Bourbon Street when a black dude got in the other side and tried to grab his money. They struggled and the would-be robber fled on foot up Bourbon toward Canal Street.

He was described as 27 years old, 6' tall, with a thin build and long dreadlocks with blue beads.

• Tuesday (12.21.10) 4:24 p.m.: Two 15-year-old white boys walking near University Place and Canal Street were accosted by 2 black boys who pulled a gun and forced them into an alley where they were robbed of cash and 2 cellphones.

The robbers, who were caught on video surveillance, were described: one as 5'9" to 6' tall, weighing 140 pounds, with long dreadlocks, wearing a fluorescent traffic vest; the other as 5'6" tall, weighing 130 pounds, with short dreadlocks, wearing a black hooded jacket.

• Monday (12.20.10) 8:50 p.m.: Two white men, one 49 and the other 27, and a 22-year-old white woman were robbed at gunpoint by a black man while walking on Burgundy Street near St. Louis Street. The men threw their cash on the ground and the robber scooped it up and grabbed the woman's purse before fleeing.

8th District mounted police saw the perp running and apprehended him a few blocks away. They charged Lionel Hooks, 23, with 3 counts of armed robbery with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a felon, and illegal possession of a stolen firearm. He is sitting in OPP on $775,000 bond.

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

Sunday (12.19.10)

Aggravated Battery, Royal & St Peter, 12:02 a.m.
Business Burglary, 547 St Ann, 4:45 a.m.
Theft, 821 Gravier, 5:00 a.m.
Auto Theft, 7001 St Louis, 8:51 a.m.
Business Burglary, 351 Andrew Higgins, 4:33 p.m.

Monday (12.20.10)

Auto Burglary, Camp & Natchez, 2:08 a.m.
Shoplifting, 232 Bourbon, 2:27 p.m.
Auto Theft, 800 Magazine, 2:26 p.m.
Theft, 700 Tchoupitoulas, 6:48 p.m.
Armed Robbery, 500 Burgundy, 8:51 p.m.

Tuesday (12.21.10)

Theft, 8 Canal, 11:16 a.m.
Auto Theft, S Claiborne & Cleveland, 3:51 p.m.
Theft, 228 Poydras, 3:57 p.m.
Shoplifting, 232 Bourbon, 5:08 p.m.
Armed Robbery, Canal & University, 5:56 p.m.

Wednesday (12.22.10)

Pickpocketing, St Joseph & Tchoupitoulas, 1:58 a.m.
Theft, 827 Toulouse, 4:31 a.m.
Auto Burglary, Chartres & Esplanade, 7:24 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 621 Esplanade, 10:22 a.m.
Theft, 820 Poydras, 11:52 a.m.
Theft, 401 Magazine, 1:21 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 800 St Ann, 9:02 p.m.

Thursday (12.23.10)

Shoplifting, 1 Poydras, 3:41 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 1200 N Peters, 7:25 p.m.

Friday (12.24.10)

Armed Robbery, Dauphine & Gov Nicholls, 12:39 a.m.
Theft, 417 Frenchmen', 11:11 a.m.
Auto Theft, Burgundy & Frenchmen, 8:41 p.m.
Theft, 200 Poydras, 9:35 p.m.

Saturday (12.25.10)

None

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Week before Christmas and all through the Quarter...

Relatively quiet, except for...: A couple of robberies we reported earlier, there wasn't much to get excited about.

And a couple of rapes: Hard to know what to make of these, but there were 2 rapes in the French Quarter on 12.18.10 within a couple of blocks and an hour-and-half of each other:

• 8:54 a.m. 125 Royal St.

• 10:36 a.m. 500 Canal St.

The Sex Squad doesn't comment on cases and refers all inquiries to the Public Information Office. The PIO is hit or miss on regularly sending out reports on rapes.

You'd like to think if a serial rapist was running amok they'd let you know. Or should these 2 cases be chalked up to misunderstandings after an overly-rambunctious Friday night?

(There are rumors that several rapes in the Marigny neighborhood have been ignored by the media. Those who seem to know about these incidents say the MO is much like a home invasion: People entering their homes are "rushed" by 2 or 3 young black thugs in parkas with bandanas over their faces, who are thought to be armed.)

They get their man: It's easy sometimes to think that the police don't devote much effort to relatively common crimes, but look at this:

On 8.31.10 near Bienville and Royal streets, a guy had his wallet stolen out of his hand when he took it out to give a panhandler some cash. The thief--described as a black man in his mid-20's, 5'6" to 5'8" tall, weighing 220 to 250 pounds, wearing a gray shirt and black pants--took off running toward Canal Street, presumably never to be seen again.

But by 9.16.10, 8th District detectives concluded after their investigation that Benjamin F. Kent, 38, was the guy they wanted and issued a warrant for his arrest.

Just shy of a month later, on 10.13.10--apparently after Kent made some miscues while driving--police took him into custody on a couple of traffic charges, a trio of warrants from Jefferson Parish--and the arrest warrant for simple robbery in the French Quarter.

He is sitting in OPP on $35,000 bond, awaiting a court hearing on 1.28.11.

Just goes to show, the NOPD doesn't give up--even on seemingly trivial cases.

Just so crazy it might work: Tell me this graphically vivid shopping bag might not deter a robber:

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

Sunday (12.12.10)

Aggravated Battery, 100 Royal, 1:47 a.m.
Theft, 300 Julia, 10:06 a.m.
Theft, Frenchmen & Royal, 12:15 p.m.
Theft, 622 Pirates Alley, 7:26 p.m.

Monday (12.13.10)

Theft, 511 St Louis, 11:14 a.m.
Theft, 1100 Decatur, 11:52 a.m.
Auto Theft, Chartres & Toulouse, 12:41 p.m.
Auto Theft, 1300 Gravier, 1:57 p.m.
Shoplifting, 222 Bourbon, 3:27 p.m.
Pickpocketing, 901 Bourbon, 11:41 p.m.

Tuesday (12.14.10)

Theft, 135 Chartres, 11:47 a.m.

Wednesday (12.15.10)

Armed Robbery, 439 Dauphine, 4:30 a.m.
Auto Theft, 800 St Louis, 8:15 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1000 St Ann, 5:05 p.m.

Thursday (12.16.10)

Armed Robbery, 800 St Louis, 6:43 p.m.
Auto Burglary, Kerlerec & Pauger, 9:54 p.m.

Friday (12.17.10)

Theft, 1415 Tulane, 11:14 a.m.
Theft, 333 Canal, 3:44 p.m.
Theft, 616 Royal, 5:59 p.m.

Saturday (12.18.10)

Rape, 124 Royal, 8:54 a.m.
Auto Theft, 500 N Rampart, 9:59 a.m.
Rape, 500 Canal, 10:37 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 920 Poeyfarre, 2:01 p.m.
Theft, 716 Iberville, 2:16 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

For better or worse

Once again: For the second week out of 3, there were NO robberies in the French Quarter from 11.28.10 to 12.4.10. There have been a few since then, but it's downright miraculous based on years past:

• Thursday (12.16.10) 6:40 p.m.: A 43-year-old white man walking in the 800 block of St. Louis Street (between Bourbon and Dauphine streets)--just a block from where a bar was robbed the night before--was robbed at gunpoint by 2 black thugs whose descriptions sound an awfully lot like the bar robbers.

The robbers--who fled on St. Louis toward N. Rampart Street, as in the bar robbery--were described as 25 to 35 years old, one 5'5" tall, wearing dark jeans and a dark hoodie; the other 6'1" tall, wearing a dark hoodie.

• Wednesday (12.15.10) 4:30 a.m.: 2 black hoodlums burst into the Double Play bar, 439 Dauphine St. (corner of St. Louis Street) and one pulled a pistol and demanded money. The bartender complied and the duo fled on foot on St. Louis toward N. Rampart Street, just as the robbers the next night on St. Louis did.

As in the St. Louis robbery, they were described as one being 5'9" to 6' tall, weighing 200 pounds, wearing dark jeans and a hoodie and the other as 5'9" to 5'11" tall, weighing 215 pounds, wearing dark clothing and a hoodie.

• Saturday (12.11.10) 4:25 a.m.: 2 white women, one 20, the other 22, were accosted by a black guy while walking near Camp and Common streets in the CBD. The robber grabbed one of the women's purses and snatched the wallet from the other victim's purse.

He was described as 5'5" tall, weighing 160 pounds, wearing a red hat, and a dark shirt and pants.

• Saturday (12.11.10) 1:00 a.m.: A 25-year-old white woman walking in Jackson Square had her purse snatched by a black guy.

He was described as wearing a blue and black jacket over a gray sweatshirt, and dark pants and white shoes.

• Thursday (12.9.10) 11:00 p.m.: A woman showed up at the 8th District Station on Royal Street to report she had been robbed by a cabbie. She said she had flagged down a taxi somewhere along Bourbon Street (she didn't know where) and during the ride to her destination the cabbie grabbed her by the neck and demanded her purse, after which she was able to flee the cab.

She described him as a black man, about 30 years old, 5'10" tall, with broad shoulders and very short hair or bald. Uh, ma'm...you didn't happen to notice the cab company's name or the cab number?

• Tuesday (12.7.10) 9:20 a.m.: Franklin Frazier, 42, was arrested by 8th District officers shortly after he went into the Hibernia Homestead Bank, 325 Carondelet St., and demanded that the teller give him U.S. Savings Bonds. Told that the bank, by its nature, didn't sell bonds, Frazier fled in consternation.

When the police caught up with him, they booked him for attempted armed robbery with a firearm. He is being held in OPP on $50,000 bond (no, not savings bonds).

Peace on earth...how about Bourbon Street?: A disturbing trend lately has been the violence on and around Bourbon Street--either in clubs or on the street. Imagine that. Here's some of what's been happening:

• Sunday (12.12.10) 1:45 a.m.: An 18-year-old white guy and 2 of his buddies were walking in the 100 block of Royal Street (just off Canal Street) when another white dude came up and began taunting one of his friends. When he stepped in to tell the intruder to leave his friend alone, he was stabbed with a knife in the lower right abdomen by the thug.

The victim was taken by ambulance to LSU Trauma Center. His assailant and a black buddy with him fled on foot on Iberville Street toward N. Rampart Street.

The perp is described as 5'7" tall, weighing 220 pounds, with a heavy build and a reddish brown beard. He was wearing a purple LSU knit hat, a black zip-up hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and several strands of Mardi Gras beads. (Pictured at right)

His black cohort, who wasn't involved in the assault and is wanted only as a "person of interest" is described as 6' tall and was wearing all black clothing.

• Friday (12.10.10) 6:30 p.m.: A 23-year-old white guy standing inside the Cat's Meow, 701 Bourbon St., got into an argument with another white dude who left the club and brought back another buddy who struck the first guy in the head with a beer bottle.

The victim suffered a cut to the head. His assailants, one described only as having a thin build and wearing a gray sweatshirt, fled on foot.

• Wednesday (12.8.10) 9:30 p.m.: When a bouncer at the Bourbon Street Blues Co., 441 Bourbon St., tried to turn away a black guy who'd been 86'd from the club, he was met with a barrage of expletives and attacked with a knife.

The bouncer was able to defend himself as his assailant walked away toward Conti Street. The bouncer flagged down an 8th District officer. A video surveillance camera captured the incident on tape and the assailant was identified as Lamar Wharton, 38, 5'6" tall, weighing 140 pounds.

Police hauled Wharton in on Tuesday (12.14.10) and booked him with aggravated battery. He is being held in OPP on $35,000 bond.

Charged after all: We found it a little odd (a lot odd, actually) when it appeared Jeremy Cameron was not going to be prosecuted for allegedly biting the ear off a bouncer at a club in the Warehouse District.

When an irate NOcrimeline reader chastised District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro's office with an email imploring "DO YOUR JOB", the DA's flak responded, saying our information was wrong, the DA was prosecuting Cameron for aggravated battery and he would be arraigned in Criminal District Court on Tuesday (12.14.10).

Okay. But what were we to think when Magistrate Juana Lombard said after a preliminary hearing: "Court found no PC (probable cause) as to RS14:34 (aggravated battery); court found PC as to RS14:35 (simple battery)" and Cameron was released the next day from Central Lock-up?

There is no indication Cameron showed up for his arraignment on Tuesday. So what gives, Mr. DA?

You might recall from an earlier NOcrimeline report that Jeremy Cameron (pictured), 24, and his brother, Michael Cameron, 29, got into a brawl at Republic New Orleans, 828 S. Peters St., on 11.29.10.

Michael allegedly stabbed a 26-year-old local in the head and left him in critical condition. He was charged with attempted murder and aggravated battery.

Jeremy allegedly bit the ear off the 33-year-old bouncer at the club and was charged with aggravated battery.

Michael is in OPP on $400,000 bond; Jeremy is roaming the streets.

Shooters shot before: You're not really surprised, are you, that 2 of the alleged shooters who killed the Pat O'Brien's bartender the day after Thanksgiving tried to kill 3 other people an hour-and-half earlier?

First District detectives booked Shawn Breaux (above), 18, and Jarod Cooley (below), 19, on 3 counts of attempted first-degree murder for shooting at a 37-year-old man, 23-year-old woman, and 13-year-old boy standing in front of 1415 Iberville St. in the Iberville Project. The man was struck multiple times in the lower extremities of his body; he managed to run to the hospital where he was listed in stable condition. The woman and boy were not hit by gunfire.

Vivid video surveillance recordings from the housing project enabled Det. Nathan Gex to identify Breaux and Cooley; a third suspect who appeared on the tape is still being sought. That shooting occurred shortly after 2 a.m. on 11.26.10.

Around 3:30 a.m., Earl Wheeler, 21, was gunned down at Dauphine and Canal streets after he got out of his car and confronted Breaux, Cooley, and 4 of their cohorts who had allegedly pounded on his car.

Another gun gone: 8th District officers took another renegade gun off the streets a couple of weeks ago when they saw Anthony Bailey, 31, in an argument with a woman at the corner of Camp and Canal streets.

When they stopped to investigate and patted down Bailey, they found on him a .40-caliber Glock 27 semi-automatic handgun. They charged him with illegal possession of a firearm. He got out of Central Lockk-up on $7,500 bond.

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

Sunday (12.5.10)

Bicycle Theft, 2100 Royal, 12:53 a.m.

Monday (12.06.10)

Auto Theft, Chartres & Kerlerec, 12:34 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 8 Canal, 10:11 a.m.
Shoplifting, 323 Chartres, 10:45 a.m.
Shoplifting, 839 Decatur, 3:21 p.m.
Theft, 632 Frenchmen, 3:52 p.m.
Pickpocketing, Dauphine & St Peter, 5:37 p.m.
Theft, 800 Bourbon, 7:43 p.m.

Tuesday (12.07.10)

Bicycle Theft, 127 Royal, 12:42 a.m.
Theft, 423 Bourbon, 3:06 a.m.
Armed Robbery, 325 Carondelet, 10:01 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1300 Gravier, 12:09 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 365 Canal, 3:09 p.m.
Shoplifting, 41 French Market Pl, 5:35 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 1000 St. Louis, 6:05 p.m.
Auto Theft, Bourbon & Esplanade, 10:40 p.m.

Wednesday (12.08.10)

Theft, 135 Chartres St., 12:33 a.m.
Theft, 333 Canal St., 11:54 a.m.
Shoplifting, 232 Bourbon St., 2:41 p.m.
Aggravated Assault, 441 Bourbon St., 9:51 p.m.

Thursday (12.09.10)

Simple Robbery, 334 Royal, 12:15 p.m.
Shoplifting, 300 Canal, 4:12 p.m.

Friday (12.10.10)

Pickpocketing, Bourbon & St Louis, 1:59 a.m.
Theft, 345 St Joseph, 9:49 a.m.
Theft, 365 Canal, 9:50 a.m.
Aggravated Battery, 701 Bourbon, 6:04 p.m.

Saturday (12.11.10)

Pursesnatching, 700 Decatur, 12:16 a.m.
Pursesnatching, Camp & Common, 4:23 a.m.
Auto Theft, Chartres & Ursulines, 9:00 a.m.
Auto Theft, Girod & LaSalle, 9:41 a.m. Theft, 344 Camp, 10:04 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 511 Bourbon, 10:16 a.m.
Auto Theft, 633 Tchoupitoulas, 10:59 a.m.
Theft, 820 N Rampart, 12:31 p.m.
Residence Burglary, 800 Elysian Fields, 4:22 p.m.
Shoplifting, 1124 Decatur, 5:40 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

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