NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans braced to relive the dark side of Katrina on Wednesday, as jury selection began in federal court for the Danziger Bridge trial.
Current and former New Orleans Police Department officers Kenneth Bowen, Robert Faulcon, Robert Gisevius, Arthur Kaufman and Anthony Villavaso are all accused in abusing the civil rights of people in the days following Katrina on the now infamous Danziger Bridge in Gentilly. Two people were shot to death, and four others were seriously wounded.
Today in federal court, prosecutors and defense attorneys attempted to select jurors, nearly six years after the incident. In court, every potential juror raised his hand when asked if they had heard of the case.
"Everybody's heard about it, but the key is whether they can be fair and impartial on both sides and not form an opinion," said New Orleans criminal defense attorney Robert Jenkins.
The two major counts against four of the officers are deprivation of civil rights under color of law and using a weapon during the commission of a crime of violence. That means their actions resulted in death.
Two people, 40-year old Ronald Madison and 17-year old James Brissette were killed. Madison was shot a half dozen times in the back.
"This is certainly a historic case," said former U.S. Attorney Harry Rosenberg. "This is a case that not only deals with what occurred on the bridge, but the events following the alleged cover-up that the government says they can prove. Plus, you have officers testifying against other officers and one that actually wore a wire."
If convicted of the charges, the officers could go to jail for the remainder of their lives.
Not one single juror was selected on Wednesday. Potential jurors were told to report back to court tomorrow morning.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
