New Orleans Officer Pleads Guilty in Police Shooting Cover Up

[Dr. Cheese]

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/..._pleads_g.html

I'm glad the Feds stepped into this terrible situation.

[hbarcat]

I heard the story on NPR this morning and it really ticked me off. Just disgusting. An example of a disaster bringing out the worst in people.



Lohman, who pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to obstruct justice, admits he failed to order the collection of evidence or canvassing of witnesses, helped craft police reports riddled with false information, participated in a plan to plant a gun under the bridge and lied to investigators who questioned police actions.


They need to nail these bad cops right to the wall.

[mike_v_s]

Jim Letten has been doing a pretty good job holding folks around here accountable.

Mike

[FL Knifemaker]

The old disapearing guns situation. It's amazing how they can disapear in a crowd like that. Then the cover up. I call BS on both sides. Hopefully the FBI will sort it out. It sounds like the NOPD Barney Fifers have done a great job so far

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

The old disapearing guns situation. It's amazing how they can disapear in a crowd like that. Then the cover up. I call BS on both sides. Hopefully the FBI will sort it out. It sounds like the NOPD Barney Fifers have done a great job so far

Knifemaker, where is the BS on both sides? The police had the power, not the civilians who were shot. If the civilians honestly had guns, law enforcement would have proven it, they had the means to investigate. Since an officer has confessed, it makes sense to just accept that this was a coverup and not feel a need to spread the blame because of an ideological or political predisposition.

[WookieeForLife]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Knifemaker, where is the BS on both sides? The police had the power, not the civilians who were shot. If the civilians honestly had guns, law enforcement would have proven it, they had the means to investigate. Since an officer has confessed, it makes sense to just accept that this was a coverup and not feel a need to spread the blame because of an ideological or political predisposition.

The police officer lied once. Wouldn't it be bad to believe a non credible witness? Maybe there is alot more to this story.

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Knifemaker, where is the BS on both sides? The police had the power, not the civilians who were shot. If the civilians honestly had guns, law enforcement would have proven it, they had the means to investigate. Since an officer has confessed, it makes sense to just accept that this was a coverup and not feel a need to spread the blame because of an ideological or political predisposition.

I think he meant BS from both the officers on the scene and the officer(s) involved the cover up (who was/were not one of the "Danziger 7"), all ideological and political predispositions aside.

Mike

[Woodchuck]

Gee, I remember when folks in NOLA was saying this was happening, they were called crazy.

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by Woodchuck

Gee, I remember when folks in NOLA was saying this was happening, they were called crazy.

Separating fact from fiction in days/weeks following the hurricane was very difficult. There's still a lot of rumor and innuendo going around here about things that never really hit the national spotlight. True? Hard to say, but I don't call people crazy for saying them nor do I buy it at their word.

Mike

[FL Knifemaker]

Originally Posted by mike_v_s

There were instances of the police attempting to prevent groups from crossing bridges into other communities (the GNO, for instance). I can only assume this was an attempt to contain an uncontainable situation. This appears to have been a similar situation with the police using deadly force. FWIW, the initial claim was that the group on the bridge were "snipers" firing from the bridge. Given the group of citizens invovled, I find that hard to believe.

Mike

With all the random shots being rained down from the rooftops, I'll bet it was hard to tell where exactly any shots where coming from at street or bridge level. It was a chaotic situation with a lose/lose outcome. My question is, why where so many civillians shooting anyway??

[Bob Lee (QSC)]

Because of Nagin.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

With all the random shots being rained down from the rooftops, I'll bet it was hard to tell where exactly any shots where coming from at street or bridge level. It was a chaotic situation with a lose/lose outcome. My question is, why where so many civillians shooting anyway??

Chaos.

[FL Knifemaker]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Chaos.

I still don't see that as justification to commit random murder. There's NO justification for civillians to be shooting from rooftops in a crowded city. I could see the cops thinking shots might be coming from a certain location and they took action. Covering it up?? Just as dumb as the rooftop shooters. A total cluster F!!

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

With all the random shots being rained down from the rooftops, I'll bet it was hard to tell where exactly any shots where coming from at street or bridge level. It was a chaotic situation with a lose/lose outcome.

True, but shooting at a small group of people, some supposedly at point blank range, because you can't tell where shots are coming from is beyond poor judgment. That's graciously assuming shots were being fired at the time, a claim i'm less inclined to believe as the facts are uncovered. As far as the height, that bridge is one of the taller structures in that particular area.

My question is, why where so many civillians shooting anyway??

Because the city is full of morons. That doesn't excuse the shooting of civilians.

Mike

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

I still don't see that as justification to commit random murder. There's NO justification for civillians to be shooting from rooftops in a crowded city. I could see the cops thinking shots might be coming from a certain location and they took action. Covering it up?? Just as dumb as the rooftop shooters. A total cluster F!!

I never said it was justification. People so stupid things in moments of chaos.

Do you know that the civilians were shooting at people? I dont know what they might have been shooting at, or if those people were even shooting at all. I wasnt there.

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

I never said it was justification. People so stupid things in moments of chaos.

Do you know that the civilians were shooting at people? I dont know what they might have been shooting at, or if those people were even shooting at all. I wasnt there.

In many cases, yes. But if the victims in question were not, then it's a moot point.

Mike

[FL Knifemaker]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

I never said it was justification. People so stupid things in moments of chaos.

Do you know that the civilians were shooting at people? I dont know what they might have been shooting at, or if those people were even shooting at all. I wasnt there.

Moments of chaos?? The rooftop shooting went on for days. People where hit, cops where hit, rescue boats where hit, Red Cross supply trucks where hit.

As to the people shot by the police.......I have no idea what happened but when the cops are taking random shots and can't tell where they're coming from, I could see that leading to something bad happening which is exactly what happened.

[FL Knifemaker]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

My point earlier is that I know you tend to be pro-cop. That's fine. My point is that being pro-cop should not mean that you cannot acknowledge that the police can be terrible people for whatever reason.

I understand. It just find it odd that veteran police would all of a sudden snap and do something like that. IMHO, if there where no civillian rooftop shooters, this wouldn't have happened.

[Chriss62]

The civilians aren't an organized force. Someone may be able to make a gun dissapear, but here we have cops copping to conspiracy charges. Makes me distrust police.

[FL Knifemaker]

Originally Posted by Chriss62

The civilians aren't an organized force. Someone may be able to make a gun dissapear, but here we have cops copping to conspiracy charges. Makes me distrust police.

What percentage of police cop to conspiriacy charges?