New Orleans Metro Crime and Courts News

Tracking local crime, criminal justice and courts news in metro New Orleans, Louisiana

Police accused of mishandling St. Joseph's Night celebration on St. Bernard Avenue Full story »

Four men were killed and two others injured in at least five separate shootings Saturday in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish. In the first New Orleans shooting, officers responding to a report of a "man down" found Algeron Washington, 31, of Harvey, with multiple gunshot wounds, lying in the 100 block of Eliza Street in Algiers shortly after 12:30... Full story »

A 42-year-old New Orleans man was found shot to death in the 3900 block of Annunciation Street Saturday afternoon, authorities said. Second District officers responding to a report of a shooting shortly after 1:30 p.m. found the man lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds, New Orleans Police Department spokeswoman Officer Shereese Harper said in a news release. The man... Full story »

New Orleans police are investigating an early morning shooting that left one man dead in the Algiers Point neighborhood Saturday. Fourth District officers responding to a call shortly after 12:30 a.m. in the 100 block of Eliza Street found a man lying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds, New Orleans Police Department spokeswoman Officer Shereese Harper said in... Full story »

Former Southern University Dean Damien Ejigiri is suing the university's leadership and its Board of Supervisors for discrimination and for wrongful "demotion" and reduction in pay. Ejigiri started in 2009 as dean of Southern's Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy of Urban Affairs and then briefly served as dean of the Graduate School. Now, he is back at tenured... Full story »

Arkansas prosecutors may seek the death penalty against a Destrehan native who they say admitted to "smothering" her two young children last year in two separate incidents about 10 weeks apart. Dawn Wines, 22, who had recently moved back to Destrehan, was arrested in Luling last week and booked with two counts of capital murder in the Aug. 7,... Full story »

Authorities late Friday said foul play was involved in the death of a man whose body was recovered from the water along Interstate 55 Thursday night. The St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office said it believes the dead man is Ron Sterling Jefferson, 32, of Montz. Authorities said the cause of death remained uncertain, but that Jefferson's death... Full story »

The last time voters in central East Jefferson decided a contested judicial race was October 2002, after Ronald Bodeheimer left the 24th Judicial District Court in Gretna amid a federal investigation that eventually sent him to federal prison. On March 27, those same voters return to the polls to decide another judicial contest necessitated by dubious circumstances. Three candidates... Full story »

A Terrytown man pleaded guilty Friday to downloading 206 graphic videos depicting child pornography from international Websites, according to U.S. Attorney Jim Letten's office. Tony Templet, 46, who was scheduled for trial next week, pleaded guilty to unlawful receipt of child pornography and faces five to 20 years in prison. He will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary... Full story »

The St. Bernard Sheriff's Office will bring two tax renewals to voters March 27. And while the referendums have not generated a groundswell of voter interest, sheriff's officials say the renewals are vital for maintaining parish law enforcement. There appears to be no organized opposition to them. "It's an important funding mechanism for us,'' said Chief Deputy Sheriff James... Full story »

Jonathan Bolar, seeking re-election to the Gretna 1st District council seat while preparing a defense against federal charges, shouldn't be allowed to play the race or politics card during his April trial, prosecutors said this week. In documents filed Tuesday, prosecutors asked U.S. District Judge Lance Africk to bar Bolar from the defense tactic, saying his "theory of the... Full story »

A father and son wanted for allegedly running a roofing scam on an elderly Old Jefferson man were arrested Thursday evening in Gonzales. Robbie Wharton Jr., 65 and his son, Robbie Wharton III, 34, surrendered to the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office and were booked as being fugitives out of Jefferson Parish, according to Col. John Fortunato, spokesman for the... Full story »

New Orleans police are conducting a sexual-assault investigation at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. The Rev. Joseph Doyle, president of the Catholic school in the 2600 block of A.P. Tureaud Avenue, declined to provide details about the investigation Thursday. "I have no comment because it's dealing with minors and it's being investigated, " Doyle said. Police are... Full story »

St. John the Baptist Parish authorities need help identifying the body of a man recovered from the water along Interstate 55 Thursday night. He was about 5 feet, 6 inches tall and had three tattoos: praying hands on the left forearm, a deck of cards with dollar signs on the right forearm, and a fleur de lis with the... Full story »

St. Tammany Parish deputies busted up a cockfighting ring near Slidell this month, arresting four people in the first use in the parish of a state law that made the sport a criminal offense, authorities said. Deputies were called to 62258 N. 14th St., Slidell, on March 7 when a neighbor reported that a cockfight was occurring in the... Full story »