Former Police Officers Get Jail Time for Post-Katrina Shootings
Five ex-officers from the New Orleans Police Department found themselves on the other side of the law Wednesday, as they were sentenced to jail for their respective roles in the shootings of six unarmed civilians in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005.
Five ex-officers from the New Orleans Police Department found themselves on the other side of the law Wednesday, as they were sentenced to jail for their respective roles in the shootings of six unarmed civilians in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005. –KA
Rock Solid JournalismThe New York Times:
The four policemen who were directly involved in the shootings were sentenced to terms ranging from 38 to 65 years, and a police sergeant who was overseeing an investigation into the shootings, and instead led the efforts to hide and distort what happened, was sentenced to six years.
But while the sentences were long, they were not nearly as long as federal prosecutors were seeking — in some cases less than a third of the sentence they recommended — and for the most part were either the mandatory minimum or several years more than the minimum.
Before delivering the sentences, Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt of the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana gave a lengthy speech condemning the concept of mandatory minimum sentences and disparaging the case put together by federal prosecutors, saying in particular that he was “astonished” and “deeply troubled” by the plea deals with four cooperating witnesses at the heart of the case.
In 2026, amid chaos and the nonstop flurry of headlines, Truthdig remains independent, fact-based and focused on exposing what power tries to hide.
Support Independent Journalism.
The Truthdig columnist and U.S. Army officer tells Truthdig Editor in Chief Robert Scheer that U.S. foreign policy since 9/11 makes us less safe.
The U.S. is focusing its energies—and warplanes—in areas of eastern Syria occupied by Islamic State.
There are so many wars and war rumors involving America these days that it's starting to feel a little unreal, even for the most devoted of news watchers.
The administration’s tally is at odds with those of leading nongovernmental organizations, and its lack of transparency makes it impossible for the public to assess its claims.
The administration’s tally is at odds with those of leading nongovernmental organizations, and its lack of transparency makes it impossible for the public to assess its claims.
"One of the deadliest strikes against civilians in Yemen's yearlong war involved U.S.-supplied weapons," Human Rights Watch says.
Obama faces criticism over civilian deaths caused by the drone program, which is being denounced as having little oversight, a mounting death toll and results that can be seen as war crimes.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.