Yay cops

Two years ago at Mardi Gras, Leslie tackled my Mom on the neutral ground of St. Charles as shots were fired into the crowd.  Seven people got shot.

Today, charges were dropped against the shooters, because the cop that confiscated the gun found on the suspects is one of the cops that recently pled guilty to planting a gun in the Danzinger bridge case.

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2010/04/orleans_da_drops_all_charges_a.html

Cursing under his breath as he left a courtroom Thursday, Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro had his office dismiss all charges against three young men accused in connection with the 2009 Mardi Gras parade shooting that sent seven parade-goers, including a toddler, to the hospital with gunshot wounds.

“I want them back in f—ing court,” Cannizzaro muttered repeatedly to an assistant as he walked away from Judge Frank Marullo at Criminal District Court.

The state’s case became troubled recently, when New Orleans police Lt. Michael Lohman admitted in federal court that he planted a gun in an effort to cover up a deadly police shooting days after Hurricane Katrina.

Lohman is the cop who also confiscated the guns allegedly used in the Mardi Gras shooting.

According to prior courtroom testimony by Detective Jeff Walls, Brooks was a gunman that day and was tackled by a citizen and Lohman as he tried to run away.

When Brooks hit the ground, a fully loaded 9-mm gun fell from his waistband, police said.

What a proud moment for the NOPD.  A shooting on St. Charles Avenue on Mardi Gras, and your corruption lets the gunmen go free.  Thanks.

UPDATE:

The DA has re-opened the cast.  Apparently, charges were dropped mistakenly by an Assistant DA:

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2010/04/orleans_da_said_parade_dismiss.html

Cannizzaro said the dismissal took place only because of a “breakdown in communication” between him and Pipes, and that his office will bring  Brooks,  21, Lewis, 19, and Gray, 19, to trial for discharging a firearm along the parade route.

What kind of idiot is that Assistant DA?  “Yeah, sure let them go, we don’t care.”

CHRISTEENE finds a home?..kinda

Hey all you stanky pankys. South By Southwest is happening here in Austin, and it’s been a wild ride for CHRISTEENE and Rebecca and Myself. We got our video for ‘FIX MY DICK’ into the Midnight Shorts at the Film Fest and had amazing reviews. The Hollywood Reporter said it was the one short you desperately wish you could unsee!

Anyhoo, there is a gay podcast called ‘Feast of Fun’ that is one of the biggest in the country, and they sat me down to talk about my ladies and my life in Louisiana. Thought the buzzards might enjoy it.

Can’t wait to get my azzz to New Orleans for some good time wit my baybeez, and Dave…looks like I might be hittin Atlanta with CHRISTEENE in May…possibly.

Also have an EP ready to roll now. If ya’ll could email me your addresses to lulujones13@gmail.com, I can get a disc to you! And check out christeene.org for all the nasty good times. (except you Marnie..keep your life clean)

Here’s the link.

http://www.feastoffun.com/podcast/2010/03/19/fof-1160-christeenes-ugly-is-the-new-beautiful-03-19-10/

Love ya’ll

Claude Mauberret is a total ass

I hate to move Baylen Brees down, but this really pisses me off.

Claude Mauberret, who made it to the runoff for the city assessor’s office, dropped out:

Claude Mauberret, a district assessor since 1994, will abandon his bid to become New Orleans’ first citywide assessor today, according to a source close to Mauberret.Mauberret’s exit, expected to be announced before noon, will mean that Erroll Williams — like Mauberret a longtime district assessor — will claim the new post, expected to be one of the city’s most powerful political jobs.

Mauberret spent his entire campaign attacking the reform candidate, Janis Lemle, with flyers  unfairly associating her (via a campaign aide) to Dollar Bill Jefferson.   He also used the “scary for white people” picture of her with dreadlocks as opposed to her official portrait.   At first he denied association with these shitty flyers, but the second round that came had his name on them.  He just barely edged her out of the race to get into the primary.

And then he dropped out, handing the race to his buddy Errol Williams.  Thanks a lot, dickhead.  Thanks for ensuring more of the same in New Orleans.

I suppose that we were given our chance to make a change in the assessor’s office during the race and we squandered it.  But Mauberret’s dropping out just makes it feel like the fix was in.

You knew it was coming

Raheem Brock of the Colts posted this on this twitter feed, then quickly took it down, saying he was hacked:

Bring it on.  We’ve seen worse.  We heard it all after Katrina.

Remember Chicago, 2006?

I was pissed off about that then.  Now, I’ve just grown used to it.  I heard all the “Why rebuild in a flood zone?” idiots in Atlanta.  I let it eat me up inside.

Not anymore.  You want to taunt us with the Federal Flood?  Go right ahead.  We took it for the past five years, and we will keep on taking it.  In that typical New Orleans way, we will wear it with pride:

In other news, I am so fucking excited about the Super Bowl that I am totally mentally crippled.  Can’t focus, can’t concentrate, can’t sleep.  I just sit and think of new things about Saints football.

PS: Raheem Brock, go fuck yourself.  Thanks for the motivation.

Hey there Buzzards…the cat is out the bag for the Soileau family!

Austin has finally recognized my complete and utter insanity ya’ll. It took the Saints going to the Superbowl to finally wake the world up to it’s many wonders, I guess. Check this out! And Marnie….it’s a little graphic, but it’s the Austin Chronicle! Can’t wait for my cousin Lisa to read this and pass it onto the family in Oakdale.. HELP! Missing my buzzards, missing them very much. XOXO

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/index?issue=2010-01-29

More NOLA Election Stuff

The other day I was taking the streetcar to work.  It was one of the really cold days we had last week.  I don’t think it was the coldest day we had during that stretch in NOLA, but it was cold.  Below freezing. It was 8am or so, and there were little icicles hanging from overhands and bus stop shelters.  I’ve lived in cold places, so i know you can’t really call 28 degrees cold, but it was cold enough.

Anyway, everyone was miserable on the streetcar, all bundled up.  everyone walking oustside was miserable.  You can’t blame them.  As I was looking at the windows as we crossed Poydras, I noticed a familiar looking gentleman in a brown overcoat.  I stared for awhile, and saw that it was Ron Couhig, mayoral candidate.  He didn’t look happy to be out in the cold that early.  Once again, can’t blame him.

The streetcar stopped next to him, and he looked up at it, and saw some guy staring at him.  I could see the moment that he forgot that he was some schmoe trying to get to his office and out of the cold and remembered that he was running for mayor.  He face lit up in a big smile as his eyes met mine, and he waved that politician wave.  I nodded in acknowledgment.

I’m not a Couhig supporter, as I feel supporting Nagin in the last election is pretty unforgivable.  But I really felt bad that he had to be nice to me, some shithead on the streetcar who was rudely staring, because he wants to be mayor.  He just wanted to be warm, like everybody else, and focus on getting inside, like everybody else.  But he had to smile at some idiot on the streetcar, for the possibility of one more vote.  It made me feel sorry for him, and the other candidates.  One of the things I love about this city, is that New Orleans is small enough that these type of interactions are more common.  It’s fun.  Even if Ron Couhig makes me sad.

Like Jonah Bascle, who actually responded to an elbuzzard.com post after I said that Manny Chevrolet was a better comedian than him.  He pointed out that the mayoral debate was not the place to be funny, which is absolutely correct.   I don’t want to lump Bascle in with Couhig, but right now, they are the two candidates I like the best, even though I doubt I would vote for either of them, since Couhig is Nagin, and Bascel doesn’t really have a shot.

I guess I’m just a sucker for personal interaction.  I bet if John Georges  showed up at my house I’d like him too.

UPDATE: Speaking of comedians, John Georges is an idiot.