3 officers plead not guilty in Katrina shootings

NEW ORLEANS – Three police officers charged in the killing of two unarmed residents on a New Orleans bridge after Hurricane Katrina and a cover-up that followed pleaded not guilty on Wednesday.

Sgts. Robert Gisevius and Kenneth Bowen and Officer Anthony Villavaso stood before a federal magistrate in green prison garb, shackled at the waist and ankles. They will remain jailed at least until a hearing Friday. A tentative trial date is set for Sept. 13.

Magistrate Louis Moore Jr. read the counts — 13 against Bowen, 11 against Gisevius and 10 against Villavaso. Former officer Robert Faulcon made his initial court appearance Tuesday in Texas, where he was arrested, but has not entered a plea.

The charges against the four carry a maximum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty, although U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said the Justice Department hasn't decided whether to seek the latter punishment.

The family of two victims — Ronald Madison, who was killed, and his brother, Lance, who survived — sat in the front row of the packed courtroom. Gisevius cried quietly as he stood with his lawyer.

"We'll be able to pick this indictment apart," said Frank DeSalvo, Bowen's lawyer. "There is a lot of fantasy there."

Bowen, Gisevius and Villavaso were suspended without pay after the indictments were released Tuesday, NOPD spokesman Bob Young said on Wednesday.

Five former officers already have pleaded guilty to charges they helped cover up the shootings. Prosecutors have said police fabricated witnesses, falsified reports and plotted to plant a gun to make it appear that the shootings were justified.

The shootings at the Danziger Bridge happened Sept. 4, 2005, six days after Hurricane Katrina smashed levees and left the city flooded and in chaos. Bodies floated in filthy flood waters. There were reports of looting and gunshots rang out throughout the blacked-out city.

It was in this backdrop that police, desperate to regain control, were called about 9 a.m. that morning after reports of gunfire at the bridge.

Seven heavily armed New Orleans police officers stormed the bridge. Prosecutors said they shot at the first people they saw, people they say were crossing the bridge to find food.

When it was over, two men were dead and four others lay wounded on the hot concrete.

The indictment claims Faulcon shot mentally disabled Ronald Madison, 40, in the back as he ran away on the west side of the bridge. Bowen is charged with stomping and kicking Madison while he was lying on the ground, wounded but still alive.

Madison's brother, Lance, was arrested and charged with trying to kill police officers. He was jailed for three weeks before being released without indictment.

Bowen, Gisevius, Faulcon and Villavaso also are accused of shooting at an unarmed family on the east side of the bridge, killing 17-year-old James Brissette and wounding four others.

Sgt. Arthur Kaufman and retired Sgt. Gerard Dugue, who helped investigate the shootings, were charged with participating in the alleged cover-up. Charges against them include obstruction of justice.

Kaufman and Bowen "specifically discussed using Hurricane Katrina to excuse failures in the investigation, and thereby to help make any inquiry into the shooting go away," the indictment states.

Kaufman allegedly took a gun from his home and claimed to have found it at the crime scene a day after the shootings, then lied about that gun under oath and in reports, prosecutors said.

Dugue is accused of lying to a federal agent when he said he had no concerns about the truth of the officers' statements.

"In fact, he had many 'red flags' and 'question marks' about the officers' stories, but he reported the questionable information as fact and relied upon it without qualification," the indictment says.

The charges, unsealed Tuesday, are the culmination of a two-year probe by the federal government. An internal police investigation found no wrongdoing by officers. A state grand jury convened to look into the matter charged seven officers with murder or attempted murder, but a state judge threw out all the charges in 2008.

By MARY FOSTER, Associated Press Writer Mary Foster, Associated Press Writer – Wed Jul 14, 6:25 pm ET

Shame on Scotland!

Add Scotland to my s*%t list. For most of my life I have admired those skirt wearing laddies and more than admired those skirt wearing lasses from the bonnie Isle of Scotland. As a matter of fact, one particular Scottish lass I knew as a young lad had the most beautiful and pleasant temperament I have ever come across. To this day even!

But by releasing Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, an intelligence officer for Libya (who by the way, just so happened to have been the key player in blasting a jet full of innocent people out of the sky) Scotland has shamed themselves and in turn shown us just exactly what they are hiding under those kilts – and it doesn’t rhyme with ‘walls.’ Note: there are a few Scots who are as outraged as I at the decision to let Abdel loose after serving only 8 years of a life sentence, and for them I am issuing a pass on this one.

Apparently it did not matter to Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill that the falling plane also happened to kill a few more innocents on the ground, fellow countrymen mind you. To add insult to injury, al-Megrahi was given a hero’s welcome upon his arrival in Tripoli.

Supposedly, al-Megrahi has only a few months to live because of terminal prostate cancer. Therefore MacAskill decided (to the consternation of almost every citizen of every Western nation) to release the Libyan terrorist on “compassionate grounds” saying “..he is going home to die.” Hey Kenny, just who appointed you the angel of mercy?

And when questioned by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer if there had ever been a precedent for releasing a murderer in Scotland on the same grounds, MacKaskill danced around the question like a river dancer with his kilt on fire. Eventually he admitted there hadn’t been one. Yes, I know, river dancers are from Ireland. Then, when Wolfy asked if he had been pressured from higher ups, the merciful Secretary replied that the decision was all his. Sure! Bet ya me bottom farthing, he’s MacFudging on that one!

Now, let’s imagine for just a moment that the terrorist bomber was from another friendly nation, say…. North Korea - which has about as much to offer the Scottish government as, say…..me. Do you think the Scottish parliament would give one banger of a hoot if a Korean had prostate cancer? I think not! Now let’s imagine for a moment that Libya had no oil. In that scenario, I think that Adbel Baset al-Megrahi would still be sitting in his cell praying he wasn’t going to be served haggis for supper.

So, what is the moral to this story, you ask? If you are going to blow up a plane, better make sure your ass is covered. Preferably with oil.

Congratulations Mr. Obama. Earn It!

Never in modern U.S. history has a president-elect been bestowed with a more perfectly set stage of opportunity and invitation for greatness.

With an economy teetering on (depending on who you talk to) a full scale recession to an outright depression, a Grand Canyonesque chasm separating the haves and have-nots, greed and excess on Wall Street that has surpassed anything the world has ever seen, millions of Americans facing outright bankruptcy – not to mention the loss of their homes, and an overall sense of despair in a land more accustomed to being the bastion of light and hope.

Pointing fingers at this stage in the game is a hollow feeling but I feel it must be done. The Bush administration policies have drug this country through the mud, and we’re all the dirtier for it. With another seventy-something days left in office, in reality all that is left for the sitting president is the shuffling away from the White House like an ejected house guest who has disgraced and embarrassed himself beyond reproach. That and the pardons I’m betting he’ll be doling out without reserve or repent.

Barack Hussein Obama is in many people’s minds, from this day forward, the President of the United States of America! Such a heady post and title. I remember two years ago watching Barack give that memorable speech at the Democratic Convention and saying to the person in the room with me something like, “I don’t know who that guy is but anyone who can speak like that has a great political future in front of him…,” and then watching the replaying of that speech the next day thinking, maybe he’s even got a shot at the White House in 2012. Little did any of us know then that we were watching a phenomenon of historical proportions, and he was just getting warmed up.

As I watched Mr. Obama delivering his acceptance speech tonight (no surprise it was another inspiring one) it dawned on me that all those tens of thousands of teary and hopeful eyes in the crowd staring up at Barack, truly believed he is the one who is going to lead them out of the mire onto more solid footing. Mr. Obama spoke about doing his best to bring positive change, he spoke about uniting the country, he inspired the crowd with his words, he was not self-congratulatory, he asked for help. He was Presidential.

To be honest, Barack was not my candidate of choice (neither was McCain for that matter) but I have a funny feeling that he’ll follow through on many of those things he has promised. I think he’ll bring Americans back some of their lost pride in America. I think he will be respected by leaders of other countries, and not the subject of ridicule by their citizens. I think he will ultimately do us proud.

As grass roots campaigns go, his was probably closer to an actual lawn than any other in our presidential history. Barack’s millions of small time donors and local supporters were the wave on which he rode and he has a duty to honor their efforts. This brings me to recall a particular scene in the movie Saving Private Ryan when Tom Hanks’ character Captain Miller says to Matt Damon who plays Private Ryan, a paratrooper trapped behind enemy lines, and whose brothers have all been killed in battle, that he is being pulled out of the war on the direct orders of the Secretary of War. Tom Hanks relates that during the mission to find him, many of his own men had been lost. Later, after a final brutal battle, Tom Hanks is mortally wounded and pulls Matt Damon close to him and tells him to “earn it,” referring to the effort of those that sacrificed themselves so he would live.

Mr. Barack Obama, many millions have given you what they little they could; their modest contributions, their time, their votes, but more importantly, all those millions have given you their hope. Earn it.

Wall Street Sails Away While America Sinks

My fellow citizens; Be Prepared, Be Afraid. Our beloved Republic is leaning closer to a Fascist government than ever in history.
Please read this reprinted article then write your representative in Washington to demand a repeal of this action, or face the possibility of US troops patrolling your streets to protect the crooks on Wall Street and in Washington from YOU!

U.S. Troops In Homeland “Crowd Control” Patrols From October 1st

Paul Joseph Watson
Prison Planet
Wednesday, September 24, 2008

U.S. troops returning from duty in Iraq will be carrying out homeland patrols in America from October 1st in complete violation of Posse Comitatus for the purposes of helping with “civil unrest and crowd control” - which could include dealing with unruly Americans after a complete economic collapse.

This shocking admission was calmly reported on September 8th by the Army Times website, which reports that from the beginning of next month the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team “Will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.”

The article notes that the deployment “marks the first time an active unit has been given a dedicated assignment to NorthCom, a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense efforts and coordinate defense support of civil authorities.”

The purpose of the unit’s patrols includes helping “with civil unrest and crowd control or to deal with potentially horrific scenarios such as massive poisoning and chaos in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive, or CBRNE, attack.”

The unit will be on homeland patrol for at least 20 months before returning to Iraq or Afghanistan in early 2010, according to the report.

Training for homeland operations has already begun at Fort Stewart and at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.

Ominously, the report states that, “The 1st BCT’s soldiers also will learn how to use “the first ever nonlethal package that the Army has fielded,” 1st BCT commander Col. Roger Cloutier said, referring to crowd and traffic control equipment and nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them.”

The unit would also be deployed to deal with hostile crowds of Americans in the aftermath of a massive economic depression, potential food riots and race riots, if one defines the term “crowd control” to match its reasonably applicable scenarios.

The open admission that U.S. troops will be involved in law enforcement operations as well as potentially using non-lethal weapons against American citizens is a complete violation of the Posse Comitatus Act and the Insurrection Act, which substantially limit the powers of the federal government to use the military for law enforcement unless under precise and extreme circumstances.

Section 1385 of the Posse Comitatus Act states, “Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.”

Under the John Warner Defense Authorization Act, signed by President Bush on October 17, 2006, the law was changed to state, “The President may employ the armed forces to restore public order in any State of the United States the President determines hinders the execution of laws or deprives people of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law or opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws.”

However, these changes were repealed in their entirety by HR 4986: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, reverting back to the original state of the Insurrection Act of 1807.

The original text of the Insurrection Act severely limits the power of the President to deploy troops within the United States.

For troops to be deployed, a condition has to exist that, “(1) So hinders the execution of the laws of that State, and of the United States within the State, that any part or class of its people is deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted authorities of that State are unable, fail, or refuse to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that protection; or (2) opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws. In any situation covered by clause (1), the State shall be considered to have denied the equal protection of the laws secured by the Constitution.”

Is the Bush administration and Northcom waiting for such a scenario to unfold, an event that completely overwhelms state authorities, before unleashing the might of the U.S. Army against the American people?

The deployment of National Guard troops to aid law enforcement or for disaster relief purposes is legal under the authority of the governor of a state, but using active duty U.S. Army in law enforcement operations inside America absent the conditions described in the Insurrection Act is completely illegal.

With the promise of an “October surprise” on behalf of Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda being bandied about by the media and the potential for civil unrest should a complete collapse of the U.S. economy unfold, the presence of U.S. troops inside America, returning fresh from kicking down doors, arresting “insurgents” and taking them to internment camps in Iraq, should put Americans on alert and provoke urgent questions about the legality of U.S. Army units engaging in law enforcement operations against American citizens.

The Energy NON-Crisis

Lindsey Williams talks about his first hand knowledge of Alaskan oil reserves larger than any on earth. And he talks about how the oil companies and U.S. government won't send it through the pipeline for U.S. citizens to use.
Click on this link to see the video of Mr. Williams telling you about global control being financed by oil.

Transfer of Wealth

For the last few months, we have seen commercials from T. Boone Pickens, and campaign ads from both Obama and McCain warning us about “the largest transfer of wealth in history..” in reference to our addiction to foreign oil.

The truth is: For the last 7 1/2 years we HAVE seen the largest transfer of wealth in history but this transfer of wealth is to the already wealthiest people in the US .

The average taxpayer has suffered the loss of; jobs, inflation adjustments on income, home equity, life’s savings, retirement savings, and quality of retirement (if able to retire at all). Yet that wise old banker Bernanke said the Treasury plan should have taxpayers (that means YOU!) buy the assets and hold them at close to their maturity value. In other words, he wants YOU to buy these nearly worthless assets that no one else in their right mind would buy.

Furthermore he went on to say “Removing the assets, would bring liquidity back to markets, unfreeze credit markets, reduce uncertainty and allow banks to attract private capital. We cannot impose punitive measures on institutions that choose to sell assets. The beneficiaries would be not just the companies selling, but markets and the overall economy.”

What he is telling you, Mr./Mrs./Ms. Average American Citizen is that it is YOU who should pay for the gross malfeasance of the current White House administration and those crooks on Wall Street.

Why should I have to pay for their incompetence you ask? The answer my fellow Americans is easy if you have been paying attention for the last eight-tenths of a decade. It's because our bankers are too big a fish to fry! Yes, that's right! So…. it is YOU that must fry in their place.

This whole financial mess did not need to take place. It was not pre-ordained. It happened because of greed on a monumental scale. All sanctioned by YOUR representatives in Washington .

As a voter, you have a choice of who you vote into office.

WAKE UP AMERICA !