A jury convicted four New Orleans police officers of violating the civil rights of a teenager shot to death a week after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005. A fifth was found guilty of a later cover-up, along with the other four.
Jurors deliberated three days to reach verdicts today on 25 counts in U.S. District Court in New Orleans.
The civil rights violation caused the death of James Brissette, 17, the jury found separately, meaning the maximum punishment for the four officers directly involved is life in prison.
The jury convicted officers Kenneth Bowen, Robert Gisevius, Robert Faulcon and Anthony Villavaso of opening fire on unarmed black civilians on the city’s Danziger Bridge and conspiring with others to cover up their actions.
The fifth, homicide detective Arthur “Archie” Kaufman, was convicted of conspiring to make the shootings appear justified.
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