Feds to investigate post-Katrina bridge shootings

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

Federal officials will investigate the New Orleans police officers involved in fatal shootings that happened on a city bridge after Hurricane Katrina, authorities said Tuesday.

The announcement comes two weeks after the dismissal of state charges against seven New Orleans police officers accused of gunning down several people on the Danziger Bridge in the chaotic aftermath of Katrina, killing two men.

"In the best spirit of law enforcement coordination, and at the request of the victim's families, the New Orleans District Attorney has referred the matter to the United States Department of Justice for review," U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said in a statement.

Letten said his office, the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department and the FBI would take "as much time and resources as necessary" to determine if the officers will face federal criminal charges.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080930/ap_on_re_us/katrina_bridge_shooting

[Hekate]

1. "The mills of the gods grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small." Here's hoping. nt

typo

[Festivito]

2. Too possible they want to put on a show, in case Dems win.

They'll lose the case, having leaks, ... whatever it takes before the Dems can manage a win and take out the partisan Republican federal prosecutors WE KNOW ARE CORRUPT.

[uppityperson]

3. Good. k&r. More info/articles on the incident...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6063982

Ronald Madison, with one of his family's dogs, died after being shot on the Danziger Bridge. Police accounts say he sustained one gunshot wound, while two different autopsies show he was hit with seven bullets.

Police Accounts Disputed

The New Orleans Police Department's official account of the events on the Danziger Bridge, Sept. 4, 2005, says Ronald Madison, the "unidentified gunman," received one gunshot wound before dying, but autopsy reports (below) show he was shot seven times.

Further fact-checking also revealed that two officers were never down at the scene, the cause of the original call, and that the main complainant David Ryder, identified as a St. Landry Parish deputy sheriff, was in fact a private citizen helping with post-Katrina rescues.



Families Dispute Police Reports. Fact-checking the police report reveals that critical information is wrong:

-- First, there were never two officers down at the scene, the cause of the original call.

-- Second, the main complainant is a man named David Ryder who was posing that day as a St. Landry Parish deputy sheriff. He is the person who identified Lance Madison as a shooter. But Ryder isn't an officer; he's a private citizen from Opelousas, La., who drove to New Orleans after Katrina to help out with rescues.

-- Finally, records show that Ronald Madison, who was mentally retarded since birth, was shot seven times, not once, as the police say....(much more)

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Yet another FBI investigation, years after the fact.

I am still waiting to hear about the results of any FBI investigation in the past 8 years, that does not involve a dead body they pin the rap on.

[BadGimp]

5. About FUCKING Time!

I still get upset and angry when I think of that racist and unconstitutional act by those cops.

[aquart]

6. Gosh. No hurry, fellas.

[dipsydoodle]

7. The dismissal of those charges

was no less than disgusting.x(

[Gman]

8. I'm not holding my breath

If Obama wins, then maybe.

[intheflow]

9. K&R for the truth. n/t