Children playing in Burke Park. Photo courtesy of online.wsj.com

199 people were killed in New Orleans last year – 10 times the national average and a 14% increase over 2010. This January, the murder rate continued to skyrocket, with 25 killed, putting New Orleans on pace for 300 violent deaths in 2012 – 15 times the national average and a stunning 50% increase over 2011.

City officials are scrambling to figure out some way to combat this horrific plague – and there are increasing calls to tighten the youth curfew to 8pm every night, which some believe will curb youths from being a party to violent crimes.

The city council will vote later this month on whether to make this proposal a New Orleans-wide law. The policy is supported by both Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas. Critics say the curfew infringes on the rights of children and won’t do much to reduce crime.

If you or anyone you know has been arrested and charged with a violent crime, call Bloom Legal at 504-599-9997 for immediate help and a free case evaluation.

Photo Courtesy of NOLA.com

Earlier this week, we reported on the murder of good Samaritan Harry “Mike” Ainsworth, who was shot to death while attempting to stop a carjacking.

In accordance with a year-long policy of releasing the criminal records of murder victims in the city, NOPD dug up Mr. Ainsworth’s rap sheet, which included arrests for traffic violations and possession of marijuana – completely inconsequential to the crime he was a victim of. NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas vigorously defends his “broader perspectives” policy, stating that it shows city residents that “bad things happen to bad people.” But then a 27-year-old and father of two with a few blemishes on his record was murdered, and adhering to the letter of the policy appeared massively insensitive and pointless.

Serpas repealed the policy Wednesday, saying in a written statement he was getting rid of it “after consulting privately with local clergy leaders over the last weeks.”

Surely, we think everyone should be entitled to freely access information, especially those on criminals within our city. But this one-size-fits all policy does not achieve that goal of education – rather, it emphasizes and expands the divide between people.

Teddy Magee's mugshot

Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman “is reviewing” how a newly-minted sexual offender could simply get up and leave the courtroom without anyone noticing, which is exactly what happened Monday when Teddy Magee walked out undetected after a jury convicted him of second-degree sexual battery.

Magee’s defense lawyer, J.C. Lawrence, and the sheriff’s office blame the post-verdict hysteria on the escape. The victim, whose identity is being kept confidential, was ironically the only person to testify for Magee. After the guilty verdict she broke out in screams and tears. As Criminal District Court Judge Benedict Willard and lawyers were discussing a possible appeal bond for Magee, the defendant apparently walked to the back of the courtroom and out the door. A warrant was issued Tuesday morning for Magee’s arrest. Defense attorney J.C. Lawrence said he hadn’t heard from Magee by mid-afternoon.

According to the District Attorney’s office, in October 2010 Magee forced his way into the victim’s bathroom, punched, kicked, and strangled her, then sexually assaulted her. The victim was the only person who testified on Magee’s behalf, and said she consented to his actions. Her testimony conflicted with statements she made to health care workers and investigators immediately after the incident, said the DA’s office.

When police released details of Ainsworth’s murder, they also announced he had been arrested for drug possession and other non-violent crimes in the past, keeping with a year-old policy in which the criminal records of murdered victims are available to the public.

NOPD says this practice gives the public a more complete picture of the incident and shows that many victims of violent crimes are themselves convicted criminals. Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas said publicizing arrest records gives a better picture of the killing, which authorities said usually involves young men who are killing people with similar backgrounds.

Serpas estimated 62 percent of those killed in 2011 had prior felony arrests.

Families of the dead victims say the practice is insensitive at a time when they are trying to cope with the loss of a loved one. Others are outraged with the policy, saying that it carries racial overtones – that African Americans and other minorities are predominantly violent criminals – and implies that the victims got what they deserved.

This is obviously a contentious issue – what do you think? Is NOPD just trying to better-inform the public or are they unfairly profiling victims? Comment below or reply to @BloomLegal on Twitter.

If you or anyone you know has been arrested and charged with a violentcrime, call Bloom Legal at 504-599-9997 for immediate help and a free case evaluation.

Many jurisdictions across the country and in New Orleans and Metairie in particular are considering new regulations to allow police to issue citations for Driving While Texting. These new regulations would allow law enforcement to move beyond the mere issuing of a traffic ticket but would become more like DWI/DUI violations making drivers subject to prosecution in the future.

If you or anyone you know have been arrested for or cited for Driving While Texting or any other traffic violation in New Orleans or Metairie, contact Bloom Legal 24/7 at 504-599-9997 or online at www.bloomlegal.com for a free case evaluation.

The reason so many tickets remain unpaid is because there are relatively few consequences facing miscreants. The only hazard they face is a possible booting, because officials do not report non-payers to credit bureaus and the violations do not count as points against one’s license.

A traffic camera on Poydras. Photo courtesy of NOLA.com.

For the unlucky drivers who get booted, paying their entire owed balance is the only way to recover their vehicles, meaning they have to pay their fines plus any accrued late fees.

But offenders are most likely to get booted if they park in an area where meter maids regularly patrol, such as the Central Business District and the French Quarter. Chief Administrative Officer Andy Kopplin said that is changing: The city has begun sending parking officers into neighborhoods where they haven’t traditionally roamed.

City Hall also is considering stronger measures, such as seeking council approval to report violators to credit bureaus and tracking down flagrant offenders to boot their cars.

The biggest offender so far? One New Orleanian has racked up a total of 98 unpaid tickets, meaning he or she owes the city $17,045.

The blood test policy has grown from a procedure used in a few Texas towns to one that is used by police state-wide – especially during weekends and holidays when drunken driving is most common. The “No Refusal” initiative, as it is known, has also caught on in other states, including Florida, Missouri, Illinois – and, you guessed it – Louisiana.

The attraction for law enforcement and prosecutors is that blood evidence is a powerful tool in front of juries. Armed with blood evidence of intoxication, some prosecutors say they can win convictions in more than 90% of DUI cases.

Texas courts have uniformly held up the constitutionality of mandatory blood testing; however some argue it is an unreasonable search and seizure.

Often, lawyers say, defendants faced with blood evidence admit their guilt and do not bother with a trial.

If you or anyone you know has been arrested or convicted for a DUI, contact Bloom Legal 24/7 at www.bloomlegal.com or at 504-599-9997 for a free consultation to discuss your options.

Robert Barrios, a former New Orleans police officer who was involved in the Danziger Bridge shooting in Katrina’s aftermath, was sentenced to five years in federal prison Thursday. On September 4th, 2005, Mr. Barrios arrived at the Danziger Bridge with other police officers and shot at six unarmed civilians, two of which were killed. Barrios and the other officers claimed, falsely, that one of the men on the bridge shot at them, which provoked their actions.

According to FBI records and documents procured during the trial, Mr. Barrios had a shotgun with him on the bridge but never actually fired the weapon. Nevertheless, he was the last of the five officers involved to cooperate with the FBI in their investigation. Barrios’ actions, or lack thereof, in assisting the investigation and trying to conceal evidence incurred the ire of U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon, who imposed the maximum sentence of five years for conspiracy to obstruct justice.

In a brief statement after he was convicted, Barrios said “I hope the families find it in their hearts to forgive the role I played in this.”

If you are seeking legal representation in Louisiana, Bloom Legal is available 24/7 at 504-599-9997 or online at http://www.bloomlegal.com. Call us today for a free case evaluation.

Domestic Violence is unfortunately a widespread phenomenon across the United States and causes serious problems and harm between members of the same household.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of or is charged with Domestic Violence, contact Bloom Legal 24/7 at 504-599-9997 or online at http://www.bloomlegal.com for a free case evaluation.

Photo Courtesy of NOLA.com

Mr. Cannizzaro recused himself earlier this year from a probe into the Judicial Expense Fund but has provided a roadmap to state Attorney General Buddy Caldwell into what he views as the mishandling of funds by the 12 judges on the Criminal District bench in Orleans Parish.

According to the letter, judges have been known to illegally require convicts to pay into the fund under penalty of probation violation, failed to meet state-imposed auditing standards, and may have used funds to illegally pay medical and insurance benefits to themselves.

The Metropolitan Crime Commission also requested a state audit into the judges’ use of funds this summer to determine the legality of an estimate $2 million in supplemental health and life insurance policies that have been bought by judges this year.

It bears noting that Mr. Cannizzaro has admitted that during his time on the bench he may have been involved with these sorts of activities, although it appears that the statute of limitations for any liability on his part would have lapsed in 2010.

For the full report, visit NOLA.com.