Mayhem before Mardi Gras (2011): Paraders pummeled by cops

Parade runs amok: You've probably heard by now of the melee that ensued after the Krewe of Eris staged a rogue parade Sunday (3.6.11) night. The exact route is not clear, what really happened is foggy, and the police and paraders don't even agree on where the police arrested 12 paraders.

Some say the parade began in the Faubourg Marigny, across Elysian Fields Avenue in the NOPD's 5th District, and migrated into the French Quarter; its route is not clear.

In the Quarter, 8th District cops tried to escort the 200 or so--maybe as many as 400--marchers and musicians back across Elysian Fields and make it the 5th's problem. The parade was tailed up Bourbon Street by at least 6 of the 8th District's patrol cars. At Esplanade Avenue, the patrol cars fanned out to direct the parade toward the 5th.

The parade did cross Elysian Fields around 10 p.m. and was intercepted by the 5th District's taskforce which told the paraders they would have to disband "as a result of the group's riotous behavior" and because they did not have a parade permit, the police report said.

The report did not say what constituted "riotous behavior" (though one marcher was seen scrawling graffiti on at least one parking sign in the Quarter).

"As a result of the police disbanding the group, the large crowd of people began to physically confront the officers by cutting the tires on 2 marked police vehicles, aggressively throwing glass bottles and bricks at the officers, resulting in 12 suspects being arrested" after 6 officers were injured and had to be taken to the hospital, the report stated.

That sounds like the "riotous behavior" came after the police ordered the marchers to disband.

This all happened at Chartres Street and Elysian Fields, the police report seems to indicate, but those arrested say it happened about 4 blocks further into the Marigny where Chartres converges with St. Roch and Franklin avenues.

You'd think the police would be accurate on where it occurred, but it seems to be another questionable fact in the NOPD's report.

The cops went wild while confronting the crowd with unholstered guns, Tasers, and pepper spray, according to citizens who were there. There is video of one officer knocking the cellphone camera out of the hand of a citizen recording the arrests, clearly showing the police were out of control.

One of the paraders arrested has anonymously written a first-person account of the whole episode that's worth reading. If that report is accurate, Chief Ronal Serpas should at least wash out the mouths of some of the 5th District officers with soap--they're definitely not the kind of officers he wants representing the NOPD.

The NOPD's Public Integrity Bureau is now investigating and welcomes any and all witnesses' reports and videos of the incident.

(Where, by the way, was the 5th District commander while all this was going on? Capt. Edwin Hosli, commander of the 8th District, was out patrolling the French Quarter and the Marigny Triangle on horseback until 2 a.m. that night. The 5th has a history of lax supervision, going back to when X-Big Chief Warren Riley was commander there as a captain.)

Certainly no one wants to stifle the spontaneity of Carnival by curtailing random parades, do they? Controlled chaos is what Carnival season is all about--the final frolic before Lent.

The problem with parading without a parade permit, I suppose, is basically it gives no notice to the police to provide protection along the parade route. That's why Endymion had to follow Baccus on Sunday after it was rained out on Saturday: there are not enough cops to man 2 parade routes for major parades at the same time.

That, of course, doesn't explain why there was virtually no police presence when St. Ann marched--or strolled, if you will--down Royal Street on Mardi Gras.

So really: What is the objection to Eris? It staged a very energetic and musically-muscled parade that seemed to be the epitome of Carnival season.

Isn't the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution sufficient permission to parade when and with whom one wants?

Quiet Mardi Gras, except...: Responding to a 911 call of a "male down" at Burgundy and Canal streets on Sunday around 9:27 p.m., 8th District officers found a 22-year-old black guy who had been stabbed multiple times in the abdomen, back and arm. He was hauled to the Interim LSU Public Hospital and was listed in good condition.

Cops initially listed it as aggravated battery, but if you stab someone enough, I guess you have to call it attempted murder, which is what the police are doing. No suspect or description of one was available.

More hot heads: Who knows what they fight about, but they do:

• Sunday (3.6.11) 10 p.m.: A group of black fellas were walking near Bourbon and St. Louis streets when one of them got into a confrontation with 2 other black guys. When one of his buddies tried to extricate him from the situation, the 26-year-old peacemaker was stabbed in the lower back by one of the other dudes.

He was taken by EMS to Interim LSU Public Hospital and police began looking for 2 suspects described thusly: Both in their mid-20's, one 6' tall, with shoulder-length dreadlocks, wearing a red baseball cap, dark hoodie and black jeans; the other 5'7" tall, weighing 155 pounds, with a goatee and short hair, wearing a gray hoodie.

• Wednesday (3.9.11) 5:45 a.m.: Just because Mardi Gras is over doesn't mean you can't still act stupidly and get into a fight, like these 2 guys.

A black dude and a white guy, both 24, got into some sort of tiff in a bar in the 700 block of St. Peter Street (between Bourbon and Royal streets). The black guy left, but came back an hour later and got into a fight with the white guy. The white guy allegedly pulled out a knife and slashed the black guy twice on his left arm.

Police arrested Joshua Bauers of Oklahoma on a charge of aggravated battery. He was released from OPP this morning on $25,000 bond.

And a few robberies: What would a holiday be without a few robberies? But, in truth, there were no more reported than in a usual weekend:

• Tuesday (3.8.11) 12:30 a.m.: Just as Mardi Gras day began, a black dude descended upon a 23-year-old white guy standing on Canal Street near N. Rampart Street and grabbed the iPhone out of his hand. The victim struggled with the would be robber and flagged down a passing cop.

The police charged Jeffery Ard, 22, with simple robbery. He spent his Mardi Gras in OPP in lieu of $10,000 bond and may be there through Lent.

• Monday (3.7.11) 7:00 p.m.: A 42-year-old white man walking in the 1400 block of Tulane Avenue by Tulane University Hospital was accosted by a black thug armed with a semi-automatic pistol who demanded his money. The victim surrendered his money and his cellphone.

The thief fled in a newer model silver 4-door Pontiac Grand Prix. He was described as 6' tall, with a slim build, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt.

• Monday (3.7.11) 12:30 p.m.: A 42-year-old white man hopped into what he thought was a taxicab in the 500 block of Esplanade Avenue (between Decatur and Chartres street) and found himself looking down the barrel of a pistol held by a white dude sitting in the back seat. The armed thug demanded money, but the victim struggled with him and the white driver before breaking away and fleeing the vehicle.

He described the would-be robbers as 25 to 30 years old, the gunman as 6' tall and weighing 200 pounds.

• Monday (3.7.11) 5:20 a.m.: Two men, one 61 and the other 20, were sitting in their car in the 100 block of Elks Place, just off Canal Street, when a black thug tapped on their window with a pistol and demanded they get out of the car. The victims exited and the hijacker and 2 buddies got in the gray Ford Focus and sped away, turning on Tulane Avenue toward S. Claiborne Avenue.

The robbers were described as in their 20's, one 6'1" tall, weighing 180 pounds, wearing a dark hoodie and khaki shorts; another 5'9" tall, with short hair and a dark complexion, wearing a white T-shirt and dark-colored jeans; the third was possibly a female, 5'4" tall, with a twist hairstyle and dark complexion, wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans.

• Monday (3.7.11) 1:00 a.m.: A security guard at a parking lot on Elysian Fields Avenue, right behind the Hotel De La Monnaie on Esplanade Avenue, wound up loosing his cellphone to a gang of black boys when he tried to apprehend one of them who was spraying graffiti on a wall. The other 2 punks began punching the guard while the other took his iPhone from his belt.

The guard managed to grab one of the miscreants, while the other 2 fled, and flagged down Det. Mike Flores who arrested the 16-year-old.

Once again, it begs the question of why there isn't more effort to round up juveniles breaking curfew. When ever you look at the rap sheet of a criminal, it seems his gateway crime was a curfew violation--running the street just looking for trouble.

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

Sunday (2.27.11)

Rape, 123 Baronne, 12:14 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 600 Bourbon, 12:22 a.m.
Pickpocketing, 400 Bourbon, 12:47 a.m.
Simple Robbery, 511 Bourbon, 3:37 a.m.
Aggravated Battery, 200 Decatur, 4:04 a.m.
Aggravated Assault, 700 Iberville, 5:53 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 700 Kerlerec, 10:54 a.m.
Theft, 633 Canal, 2:27 p.m.
Bicycle Theft, 200 Girod, 9:47 p.m.

Monday (2.28.11)

Auto Burglary, 400 Esplanade, 12:49 a.m.
Theft, 441 Bourbon, 1:42 a.m.
Business Burglary, 602 Frenchmen, 7:21 a.m.
Auto Burglary, Camp & Calliope, 10:05 a.m.
Auto Theft, 930 Poydras, 10:49 a.m.
Theft, 621 Esplanade, 2:54 p.m.
Auto Theft, 400 block of Girod, 9:02 p.m.
Theft, 511 Bourbon, 10:54 p.m.

Tuesday (3.1.11)

Shoplifting , 301 Canal, 2:39 p.m.
Theft, 509 Iberville, 10:55 p.m.

Wednesday (3.2.11)

Shoplifting, 134 Royal, 5:34 p.m.
Auto Burglary, Dauphine & Esplanade, 7:50 p.m.

Thursday (3.3.11)

Theft, Bourbon & Canal, 1:22 a.m.
Theft, Common & St Charles, 12:53 p.m.
Theft, 1001 Convention Center, 8:42 p.m.
Theft, Canal & St Charles, 10:48 p.m.

Friday (3.4.11)

Residence Burglary, 600 block of Iberville, 12:40 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1100 St Anthony, 2:34 a.m.
Theft, 935 Burgundy, 7:51 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 900 Tchoupitoulas, 9:17 a.m.
Theft, 1040 St Charles, 12:31 p.m.
Auto Theft, Burgundy & Iberville, 6:13 p.m.

Saturday (3.5.11)

Auto Burglary, Conti & N Rampart, 12:11 p.m.
Theft, 315 Magazine, 12:23 p.m.
Auto Theft, Constance & John Churchill Chase, 3:34 p.m.
Theft, 123 Baronne, 3:34 p.m.
Shoplifting, 414 N Peters, 5:39 p.m.
Pickpocketing, 228 Poydras, 8:39 p.m.
Theft, 400 Bourbon, 9:13 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Don't mess with my tutu

Well, actually it's "toot-toot" in the old zydeco song (though "tutu" in some) sung by Fats Domino and others (and refers to something entirely different), but it might well apply to the hubbub over the revenooers and cop who closed down the costume bazaar at the Blue Nile on Sunday (2.27.11).

The friendly flea market has been going on for 20 years without a hitch, but this year the state--aided by a cop (not from the 8th District)--shut them down because they didn't have some expensive license.

Of course the first thing you hear when a cop is used on such a meaningless junket is "why isn't he out catching criminals?" Would that one cop have prevented any of the shootings or killings over the weekend? Probably not.

But it's bad PR with the public that Chief Ronal Serpas is trying to woo back after years of distrust of the NOPD.

If the NOPD really wanted to make an impact on the quality of life in the French Quarter and Frenchmen Street, they could have used the manpower to write puppy poop tickets following the Barkus Parade, or to apprehend those with glass bottles strolling the streets, or bars that barred non-patrons from their restrooms (if they even had one).

All those things are against the law, but who do you know who's ever been cited for violating them?

And if the police really want to improve the quality of life, they could start towing cars blocking fire hydrants or parking too close to corners--such disregard of the law makes navigating fire trucks through the Quarter so difficult that one of these days it's going to cost lives.

Selling a tutu without an appropriate license is not going to cost lives--or start anyone on a life of crime.

Speaking of a life of crime: So often you hear that the culprit was a "juvenile" (a kid under the age of 17) and that police have turned him over to juvenile authorities; you never see his mugshot or learn his fate in juvenile court. It's easy to think of him as a "misguided youth who just didn't know any better."

Hah! Not this kid. Cedric Berryhill --who's just 16-- may be the most notorious criminal in New Orleans right now. Police have had him in the slammer in OPP since 1.6.11 for a long string of crimes in December just outside the French Quarter and Marigny Triangle, mainly in the Bywater. Last Thursday (2.24.11) a grand jury indicted him for 19 major felonies:

• 3 counts of 2nd-degree murder;
• 5 counts of attempted 2nd-degree murder;
• 2 counts of aggravated rape;
• 3 counts of 2nd-degree kidnapping;
• 5 counts of aggravated burglary (think home invasion);
• 1 counts of attempted armed robbery.

He's due to be arraigned tomorrow (3.2.11). But don't worry--he's not going anywhere. He's being held on $19 million bond. Let's hope we've seen the last of him on our streets.

Wild women still on the loose: And I mean that in all senses of the term. The "girls gone wild" who've been terrorizing willing victims among touring men in their hotel rooms still have not been corralled--or at least the NOPD hasn't announced it. So for Mardi Gras, guard your iPhones, wallets, and other private parts.

Now for the "minor" crimes: By comparison, these few crimes in the French Quarter seem like child's play (interesting connotation, considering the previous). All were on Sunday (2.27.11) except the last item:

• 5:53 a.m.: A 25-year-old white man was in the 700 block of Iberville Street (between Bourbon and Royal streets) when he noticed another white guy in a car pointing a gun at him.

The vehicle fled, but the victim flagged down a cop who soon apprehended Clint Martin, 24, and charged him with aggravated assault. He got out of OPP yesterday (2.28.11) on $15,000 bond.

• 4:04 a.m.: After a 30-year-old bouncer at the House of Blues 86'd a pair of Hispanic men from the music venue, they laid in wait for him. When he came out, the duo struck him in the forehead and right arm with what was believed to be a machete. They fled in a gray Nissan Titan pick-up truck. The bouncer was taken to Interim LSU Public Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening cuts.

One of the thugs was wearing a gray beanie cap, gray striped shirt and blue jeans; the other was wearing a white shirt and white jeans.

• 3:37 a.m.: A 24-year-old white woman was in Razzoo Bar & Patio, 511 Bourbon St., when a black guy came up and started dancing with her. Then his true intentions became known: he tried removing money from her pocket.

He fled and she flagged down an officer who apprehended Darryl E. Gilbert Jr., 36, and charged him with simple robbery. His bond was initially set at $25,000 but was reduced today (3.1.11) by Magistrate Harry Cantrell to $10,000; his release was likely today.

• Friday (2.25.11) 8:45 p.m.: A 27-year-old white woman was walking with a friend in the 700 block of Canal Street (near the McDonald's) when a black old man came up and pushed her and tried to take her wallet from her back pocket. Her friend tried to intervene and was pushed also.

8th District undercover narcotics detectives observed the melee and apprehended Ellery Taylor, 57 (just 2 days before his birthday), and charged him with attempted pursesnatching and 2 counts of simple battery. He is being held in OPP on $45,000 bond.

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

Sunday (2.20.11)

Auto Theft, Kerlerec & Royal, 1:21 a.m.
Auto Burglary, Burgundy & Conti, 7:55 a.m.
Auto Burglary, Conti & N Rampart, 9:40 a.m.
Theft, 1201 Convention Center, 9:59 a.m.
Pickpocket, Royal & Toulouse, 10:45 a.m.
Pickpocket, Royal & Toulouse, 11:50 a.m.
Auto Theft, 700 Iberville, 12:34 p.m.
Simple Robbery, 100 block of Royal, 1:30 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 1011 Conti, 5:04 p.m.

Monday (2.21.11)

Theft, 315 Natchez, 11:03 a.m.
Auto Theft, Burgundy & Toulouse, 11:49 a.m.
Simple Robbery, Lafayette & Tchoupitoulas, 8:53 p.m.
Simple Robbery, Bourbon & St Ann, 10:38 p.m.

Tuesday (2.22.11)

Aggravated Assault, 400 block of Bourbon, 2:30 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 101 Burgundy, 8:48 a.m.
Auto Theft, Bienville & N Rampart, 9:18 a.m.
Auto Theft, Frenchmen & Royal, 3:56 p.m.
Attempted Armed Robbery, Bourbon & St Philip, 6:23 p.m.

Wednesday (2.23.11)

Auto Burglary, 2121 Chartres, 1:16 a.m.
Auto Burglary, Andrew Higgins & Constance, 8:06 a.m.
Theft, 85 French Market , 11:12 a.m.
Auto Theft, Iberville & Royal, 3:51 p.m.
Theft, 620 Decatur, 6:11 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 1008 N Peters, 7:54 p.m.

Thursday (2.24.11)

Business Burglary, 222 N Rampart, 1:14 a.m.
Theft, Elysian Fields & St Claude, 5:02 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 135 St Charles, 8:29 a.m.
Auto Theft, 1000 Esplanade, 10:47 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 400 Elysian Fields, 2:31 p.m.

Friday (2.25.11)

Bicycle Theft, Common & S Rampart, 4:20 p.m.
Auto Burglary, 900 St Philip, 5:28 p.m.
Auto Theft, Chartres & Toulouse, 7:27 p.m.
Attempted Simple Robbery, 700 Canal, 8:54 p.m.

Saturday (2.26.11)

Pickpocketing, 700 Bourbon, 12:32 a.m.
Auto Theft, 1306 Royal, 7:39 a.m.
Auto Theft, 924 Elysian Fields, 10:54 a.m.
Shoplifting, 713 Bienville, 6:17 p.m.
Theft, 511 Bourbon, 8:36 p.m.
Pickpocketing, Canal & Chartres, 9:22 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler

Cops finally catch him

Fugitive teen tripped up: It might have seemed like a normal night on Bourbon Street to Byron Laird, 18, and a couple of his pals--until they got into a beef with another black dude and a gun came out.

The victim, a 22-year-old black man, was standing in the 400 block of Bourbon--that hellhole of mayhem between Conti and St. Louis streets--when he got into an argument around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday (2.22.11) with Elijah Dozier (middle), 19, who was hanging with Laird (top), 18, and a chick named Kaitlin Creshon (bottom), 19.

Up steps Laird, allegedly with a pistol, threatening the older black dude. He took off running.

It didn't take cops long to zero in on the teenage trio. Laird was booked with aggravated assault with a firearm, Dozier (who has an arrest for a previous weapons violation) with being a principle to aggravated assault, and Creshon with being an accessory to aggravated assault--and possession of a firearm in a joint that sells alcohol. All are being held in OPP on $15,000 bond apiece.

The police report states Laird has "an extensive criminal arrest history, including charges for armed robbery and simple robbery." It doesn't say whether Laird was ever arrested on a warrant for aggravated burglary issued back in 2008 when he was 15.

In that case, a gang of 5 teenaged black boys burst in on 2 Hispanic guys working inside a house at 831 Touro St. One of the young punks pulled a gun and demanded the workers' wallets.

Later 8th District detectives showed a photo lineup to the victims that included Laird's picture. The men positively ID'd Laird and the arrest warrant was issued.

The NOPD never reported whether they arrested him for that crime. Now they've got him and can put his bad ass away for some time.

Phones, the root of all evil: Seems like crooks aren't as interested in your money any more as they are in your iPhone. Instead of getting a measly $20 or so, they can peddle the pricey playthings for a pretty penny. There'd be darn few robberies every week if thieves weren't targeting iPhones--and victims didn't make it so easy by chatting/texting away, oblivious to the dangers around them:

• Tuesday (2.22.11) 6:15 p.m.: A 41-year-old white woman walking near Bourbon and St. Philip streets in the heart of the French Quarter was nearly robbed by a Hispanic scumbag with a knife who demanded her iPhone. She screamed and he ran.

He is described as 20 to 30 years old, 5'6" tall, with black or dark brown hair in a crew cut, wearing a faded gray jacket and jeans.

• Monday (2.21.11) 8:40 p.m.: A 27-year-old white female was walking near Lafayette and Tchoupitoulas streets in the CBD when a black thug came up and grabbed her iPhone out of her hand.

He is described as 30 years old, 5'8" tall, with a thin build, wearing a long white T-shirt and dark blue jeans.

• Sunday (2.20.11) 1:00 a.m.: A 60-year-old white guy on Royal Street near Canal Street, apparently oblivious to what was going on, was rolled by 2 white fellas who pushed him to the ground and cleaned the cash and cellphone from his pocket.

He didn't bother to report the crime until 12 hours later, and then couldn't give a description of the robbers.

Money, on the other hand...: Instead of going for an iPhone, this guy went for the money--and got arrested.

Monday night (2.21.11) around 10:30 p.m., a 28-year-old white man standing at Bourbon and St. Ann streets had his money grabbed from his pocket by another white guy.

Police managed to apprehend Hilmon Stigler, 27, and charge him with simple robbery. He is in OPP on $20,000 bond.

How'd he get out?: Not long after Buffa's bar, 1001 Esplanade Ave., was held up the day after Christmas last year, 8th District cops nabbed Travis Chapuis, 25, minutes later during a routine traffic stop just 4 blocks from the bar at St. Claude Avenue and Pauger Street. They arrested him and charged him with armed robbery, and hauled him off to OPP.

A couple of weeks later on 1.12.11 he tried to get the $125,000 bond he was being held on reduced; the magistrate refused. A couple of weeks after that (1.24.11), Judge Arthur Hunter Jr. assigned him a public defender.

A month later (2.13.11) Chapuis--who couldn't afford his own attorney--managed to pay his way out of OPP. Where does a poor guy get that kind of money?

Free, more or less: Just because you're a kid and get caught with a gun on Bourbon Street on New Year's Eve--and then try to flee the cops--doesn't mean you should go to jail. Does it?

Telly Hammond, 17, was busted on the holiday at Bourbon and Conti streets. He was charged with illegally carrying a weapon and resisting an officer. (It wasn't his first time either: The teen had been previously arrested for carrying a concealed weapon, possession of narcotics, possession of stolen property, and curfew violations.)

He pled guilty to both charges on Tuesday (2.22.11). Judge Arthur Hunter gave him a suspended 6-month sentence, but did order him to wear an electronic monitor to make sure he observes a 6 p.m. curfew until he reports 4.25.11 to the Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program. Seems as good a place as any if you want to play with guns.

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

Sunday (2.13.11)

Auto Theft, 330 Loyola, 7:02 a.m.
Auto Theft, Camp & Poydras, 1:17 p.m.
Shoplifting, 134 Royal, 4:57 p.m.
Armed Robbery, 400 Girod, 7:02 p.m.

Monday (2.14.11)

Theft, 339 Bourbon, 1:26 a.m.
Simple Robbery, Iberville & Royal, 3:17 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 624 Gravier, 9:39 a.m.
Theft, Camp & Common, 11:17 a.m.
Auto Theft, Bourbon & Iberville, 12:10 p.m.
Theft, 228 St Charles, 3:27 p.m.
Theft, 219 Carondelet, 4:26 p.m.

Tuesday (2.15.11)

Business Burglary, 439 Decatur, 3:56 a.m.
Auto Burglary, 1013 iberville, 6:20 a.m.
Auto Theft, 1135 Decatur, 10:06 a.m.
Aggravated Battery, Bienville & N Peters, 4:59 p.m.

Wednesday (2.16.11)

Shoplifting, 1635 Tulane, 2:42 p.m.
Residence Burglary, 601 Iberville, 3:48 p.m.

Thursday (2.17.11)

Auto Burglary, 100 Chartres, 8:55 a.m.

Friday (2.18.11)

Aggravated Battery, Bourbon & Ursulines, 2:05 a.m.
Theft, 900 Royal, 11:35 a.m.
Theft, 900 Convention Center, 2:05 p.m.

Saturday (2.19.11)

Shoplifting, 444 Canal, 12:13 a.m.
Theft, 300 Canal, 5:03 p.m.
Theft, 416 Bourbon, 5:12 p.m.
Theft, 535 Tchoupitoulas, 6:52 p.m.

* * *

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

Thom Kahler