NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – Judges on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals have rejected an attempt by federal prosecutors to reinstate the convictions of five NOPD officers for their involvement in the deadly shootings of unarmed civilians on the Danziger Bridge in the days following Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent attempts to cover up the incident.
The court split down the middle in a 7-7 vote, meaning that they will uphold earlier court rulings that overturned the convictions of the five officers.
Now an order for new trials for the 5 officers issued by U.S. District Court Judge Kurt Engelhardt can move forward.
Engelhardt issued that order after it came to light that attorneys in the U.S. Prosecutors Office were posting anonymous comments about the case on a newspapers website.
This ruling means that Sgts. Robert Gisevius and Kenneth Bowen, as well as, former officers Anthony Villavaso and Robert Faulcon are still eligible for new trials.
To read the 5th Circuit Court’s ruling click on this link.