Two police officers sentenced in shooting of New Orleans man days after Hurricane Katrina

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Two police officers sentenced in shooting of New Orleans man days after Hurricane Katrina

2011-04-01 01:41:53 GMT+7 (ICT)

WASHINGTON D.C. (BNO NEWS) -- Two police officers on Thursday were sentenced in connection with the shooting and burning of a New Orleans, Louisiana resident days after the Hurricane Katrina, prosecutors said.

Former New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) Officer David Warren was sentenced to 25 years and nine months in prison for his involvement in the 2005 shooting death of Henry Glover.

Current NOPD Officer Greg McRae was sentenced to 17 years and three months in prison, three years of supervised release for his participating on the subsequent burning of Glover's body.

Warren and McRae were also ordered to pay $7,642 and $6,000 to the victim's relatives as restitution respectively. Warren was found guilty of a civil rights violation resulting in death and for using a firearm to commit manslaughter.

McRae was convicted one count of obstructing justice, one count of using fire during the commission of a felony and of two civil rights violations, one of them for burning a vehicle owned by a civilian.

"Instead of upholding their oath to protect and serve the people of New Orleans in the days after Hurricane Katrina, these officers abused their power, and violated the law and the public trust," said Thomas Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.

In November 2010, Warren, McRae and three other police officers were charged in connection with the shooting and killing of Glover, the subsequent burning of his body in a car, the assault of civilians who tried to help Glover, and various offenses involved in the cover up.

According to the evidence shown on trial, Warren shot Glover fro a second floor lookout while the victim was running away one floor below. Glover's brother stopped a motorist passing by and tried to get medical attention for the victim.

However, the group drove up to a makeshift police station seeking help but police officers surrounded the men at gunpoint, handcuffed them and let Glover die in the back seat of the car.

McRae drove the vehicle, with Glover's body inside, and burned both with a traffic flare. The three others charged in the case were former NOPD Lieutenant Robert Italiano, NOPD Lieutenants Dwayne Scheuermann and Travis McCabe.

"Today's sentences send a powerful message that no one is above the law, and that those who are sworn to protect our citizens are never, under any circumstances, relieved of their sacred responsibilities under our Constitution," said Jim Letten, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-04-01