New Orleans Police Officer Pleads Guilty in Post-Katrina Killing Cover-Up

Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Ronald Madison, shot to death on the Danziger Bridge

Described by local media as “a cover-up of shocking breadth,” New Orleans police officers are now being accused by one of their own of falsifying reports and planting evidence in a post-Katrina shooting that left two citizens dead and four others wounded. Police Lieutenant Michael Lohman, recently retired from the department, has pled guilty to obstruction of justice relating to the investigation of the shooting on the Danziger Bridge on September 4, 2005, only days after Hurricane Katrina struck the city.

 
Police had claimed they came under fire on the day of the incident, while survivors of the shooting insist they were ambushed by authorities who tried to hide what really happened. Lohman said he participated in the conspiracy by failing to order the collection of evidence or canvassing of witnesses, helping craft police reports containing false information, helping plant a gun under the bridge and lying to investigators. It is believed Lohman is now working with the U.S. Attorney’s office handling the case brought against the police department on behalf of the individuals involved in the shooting.
 
Defense attorneys for some of the six police officers accused of wrongdoing are still insisting their clients are innocent.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
 
Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Danziger Bridge Shooting Cover-Up of Stunning Breadth (by Laura Maggi and Brendan McCarthy, New Orleans Times-Picayune)
Danziger Bridge Shooting Plea Brings Long-Awaited Vindication for Families (by Brendan McCarthy, New Orleans Times-Picayune)

Comments

Paul Harris 14 years ago
How horrifically ironic that it may be that New Orleans citizens may have had the Police and Blackwater guards to fear more than their fellow citizens during Katrina. In addition, since so much attention is being paid to New Orleans these days I wish the media would take the initiative to do more follow up on correcting the exaggerations they made about the extent of the murders, rapes, and supposed helicopter shootings that they first reported during Katrina. This left some otherwise sympathetic Americans from giving as much of themselves as they would have liked to, and demonized parts of the City. Gulf officials and the media have the world's ear these months and they need to correct some of the false rumors that still are prevalent in mainstream America. Oh and by the way, GEAUX SAINTS! Paul Harris Author, "Diary From the Dome, Reflections on Fear and Privilege During Katrina"

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