The Associated Press Published: December 28, 2006
NEW ORLEANS: Four New Orleans police officers were charged with first-degree murder in connection with two fatal shootings during Hurricane Katrina's chaotic aftermath.
Three other officers were charged with attempted murder in the shootings, which also injured four civilians. A state district judge Thursday gave the officers 24 hours to surrender.
The shootings became one of the most widely cited examples of the chaos that ensued after Katrina flooded 80 percent of the city in August 2005.
"We cannot allow our police officers to shoot and kill our citizens without justification like rabid dogs," District Attorney Eddie Jordan said.
At a news conference late Thursday, Police Superintendent Warren Riley said the indictments were only the first step in the judicial process and "not where it ends."
"A jury of their peers will decide their guilt or innocent," Riley said, calling Jordan's comments "highly unprofessional, highly prejudicial and highly undignified."
"We want justice first and foremost, " he said. "But for the district attorney to try and prejudice the community against these officers before all the evidence is heard is really, I think, a sad day for the city."
The indictments were the latest blow to the police department's reputation. Police Superintendent Warren Riley has said the majority of his 1,500-member force performed heroically during and after Katrina, but he has acknowledged more than 200 were disciplined for various offenses, including failure to show up after the storm. Some were accused of looting.
Defense attorneys for the indicted officers said their clients are innocent. "As a wise man once said, a district attorney can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich," said Franz Zibilich, attorney for officer Robert Faulcon, who is charged with murder. "They heard only one side of the story."
Authorities first said Ronald Madison, a 40-year-old mentally retarded man, and James Brissette, 19, were killed in a gun battle with police on a bridge connecting two predominantly black - and flooded - neighborhoods.
At the time, six days after the hurricane, the city was still littered with dead bodies as rescuers tried to save stranded residents and prevent looters.
According to a police report, several officers responded to a radio call of two officers down. They were told the shooters were headed west. When they arrived, seven people were running in that direction and four began firing at police, the report said. The officers returned fire.
After weeks of testimony, the grand jury deliberated for two hours Thursday before issuing the charges. The panel's foreman, Lee Madare, declined to comment in detail as he left the courthouse but asked a reporter, "Do you understand the word cover-up?"
A spokesman for Mayor Ray Nagin declined to comment on the indictments. Police Superintendent Warren Riley and a police department spokeswoman did not immediately return messages from The Associated Press.
Faulcon was charged with first-degree murder in Madison's death. Faulcon and three others - Sgt. Kenneth Bowen, officer Anthony Villavaso and officer Robert Gisevius - were charged with first-degree murder in Brissette's death.
Officer Robert Barrios faces multiple counts of attempted first-degree murder, officer Mike Hunter is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and officer Ignatius Hills is charged with attempted second-degree murder.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/29/america/NA_GEN_US_Katrina_Bridge_S hooting.php
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