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The four former New Orleans policemen, who took advantage of the bedlam following Hurricane Katrina to shoot and kill unarmed people, got between 38 to 65 years, while a fifth who engineered and maintained a cover-up of the crime for four years got six years prison-time. The killer police claimed ‘stand your ground’ and that they had shot at victims with weapons.
The policemen were later found to have planted weapons on the scene.
Lance Madison, who was with his brother Ronald Madison when Ronald was slain, was promptly arrested and jailed on false charges.
Homicide detective Kaufman, who was later convicted of planting a handgun on the scene managed to cover up the crimes for more than four years by a series of false reports and lies helped by accomplices.
The first case brought against the crimes in New Orleans was dismissed because a prosecutor had allegedly caused misconduct. But, it was this last stunt that brought federal prosecutors and the FBI on to the scene, ultimately leading to the sentencing of the killer police on Wednesday.
The U.S. government described the case as the most important police misconduct unearthed since the Rodney King beating two decades ago. The four former officers are Kenneth Bowen, Rober Faulcon, Robert Gisevius and Anthony Villavaso. The cover-up master was homicide detective Arthur ‘Archie’ Kaufman.
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The sentenced officers were among a dozen police officers who had responded to a radio call of police being shot at near the Danziger Bridge in eastern New Orleans. It was just days after Hurricane Katrina.
The police officers went to the site in a rental truck, dismounted and started firing with assault rifles, shotguns and handguns at unarmed civilians walking on the bridge. James Brissette, 17, and Ronald Madison, 40, were among those killed in the indiscriminate firing on people none of whom had weapons, and were going about their daily chores.
Lance Madison, who was jailed on false charges to shut him up from telling the truth, told the court, “These officers shot Ronald down like an animal” turning to the accused, he said “You are responsible for the nightmares that have devastated my family.”
Another police detective, who worked as an accomplice to cover up the crimes will face trial in May.
U.S. District Court Judge Kurt Engelhardt sentenced Bowen and Gisevius to 40 years each and Villa vaso to 38 years. Faulcon got 65 years for his leading role in the carnage.
