Received this email from a close friend from NOLA. Any substance to this?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On Jan 31, 2009, at 6:06 PM, E Brown wrote:
Since I know all of you go to the French Quarter I wanted to tell
You of two instances involving people I know. The first one happened at
Galatoires not long ago and the other at the Ritz Carlton just last
night. I now see their connection and what is happening. Both
incidents involve men by themselves.
Not long ago a friend was leaving Galatoires having had a nice
Dinner and plenty to drink. While leaving the restaurant three
women surrounded him and claimed that he pinched one of them.
Almost immediately police intervened and arrested the man despite
his insistence that he did nothing and was being falsely accused.
He was thrown in jail and kept over night then released. His wallet
was returned and all of his credit cards and cash were missing. He
basically was stranded in New Orleans as he lived in Nashville and
was visiting friends of ours. I do not know what happened after that.
However, just last night my son took some friends to the Hornets
Game and used the suite. I do not know all of the people with him at the
game but I do know that one of the guests happened to be a lawyer
friend named Alex of ours named Alex from Knoxville , TN. He was
in town attending a legal seminar with other members of his firm.
After the game Elder and Alex went back to the Ritz Carlton where Elder
parked and where Alex was staying. Elder left for Covington and
said good bye. Alex then got into the elevator to go up to the hotel's
lobby and then to his room. As the door was closing two black women
jumped into the elevator and started hovering over him asking him if
he wanted their services etc. He said no and pushed them off. The
door opened and he got away from the women. However, as he was
walking in the lobby he noticed his wallet missing and realized that
the women had stolen it when they were rubbing against him. He
dropped his jacket and screamed that he had been robbed. Almost
immediately two NOPD police officers surrounded him and accused him
of soliciting the women for prostitution. No comments from any of
you, but that wasn't the situation.
The police told Alex that he was going to jail for solicitation and
he made them aware that he was a lawyer which they responded by saying
something like, I guess you think you can talk your way out of it.
He quickly remembered that the elevator had a camera and
said that he wanted to play the tape back to show his innocence.
The police said they would do that but he couldn't view it with
them.
Instead they came back, supposedly after viewing the video, and said
the tape showed he was soliciting and they told him either he
confessed or they would take him to jail. About the same time a
woman NOPD officer came on the scene and told Alex to simply admit to the
incident and it would be over and done with and they would let him
go.
Alex told the police that isn't it ironic that he was in New Orleans
attending a seminar on how to defend the police when they are
accused of a crime. He naturally refused the opportunity to incriminate
himself.
>
One of the police left the scene for a few moments and miraculously
came back with Alex's wallet with his credit cards but no cash.
They then told him that he had to leave the Ritz Carlton
immediately.
As incredible as that part was, they escorted him to his room, made
him pack and then made him check out forfeiting his Saturday night
room charge that he had already guaranteed. The police then kicked
him out of the Ritz Carlton. The night manager interestingly did
nothing to protect one of his hotel guests. He then made his way to
the Marriott and got a room not believing what had happened.
Obviously the police were in the scam and covered for the women
Making the charges or were flipping the facts and making our friend the
guilty party. There was no attempt to try to find the women or to
take the side of the single man in both cases.
I tell you this since we all walk at times by ourselves in the
French Quarter and at night (sometimes very late etc.). I doubt if either
Of these situations would have had the same result if both men were
with others. I know from my three years on the NOPD that the French
Quarter cops are particularly on the take. When I was on the force
I witnessed shake downs and bag men delivering cash to be divided up
By the cops. I actually walked in one day while the cash was being
stacked and distributed. I was lucky to have been able to walk into
the situation and walk out almost as fast while the cops stood
around counting the money in a local gas station in the Quarter across from
my office. I was in a coat and tie and told them that I saw nothing
and left. Back then the shake down was on bars, pimps and
prostitutes. Today the cops are using those low lifes to shake
down the visitors. They know that no man wants any allegation as to
their alleged bad behavior to hit the news or to get back home. Instead,
they shake down the tourist and make him the guilty party. The stakes
are much higher today post Katrina and New Orleans has absolutely
one of the worst scum-bag police forces and political structures in the
country and getting worse by the day. Maybe the Ex FBI chief will
run for office and clean the department up.
I know that Alex will be doing something about last night's incident
but as a single person he may find the effort useless. We can, on
the other hand, be real careful when walking to and from our cars or
other establishments in the Quarter and never by ourselves. The Cops and
their associates are looking for single men by themselves and know
their game plan. Please pass this on to your family and friends.
It's not funny when two people you know have been scammed. If I
Know two people who experienced this how many more are there out there
Each and every night?
Be careful.
UPDATE
A bit of an update. I have added a few new recipients to this email
so
if you are new, skip to the email below and then read my comments
here.
At the request of Dan Haeuser, board member of the Metropolitan Crime
commission, I received an immediate call from Rafael Goyeneche,
President of the MCC this morning. I explained to Rafael that I had
learned of this incident via my daughter and would like to personally
speak to Alex to get his firsthand experience of last Friday night's
incident. I told him I would ask Alex to agree to speaking to Rafael
afterwards.
The story tracked the way Simonne told me. However, it always helps
to
get a story from the horse's mouth. Alex is a fine young man, a
friend
of my son-in-law and was in their recent wedding. He is well
educated and works in his father's law firm in Knoxville . He is a
credible witness.
When Alex and Elder III arrived at the Ritz Carlton from a night out
after the Hornet's game it was then very early Saturday morning.
Elder and his date left to go back home and Alex stopped outside the
front of the hotel to smoke a cigarette. After a few puffs he said he
had had enough and wanted to go to bed. He walked into the corridor
leading to the elevators that take you to the 2nd floor and lobby of
the
hotel. There was no security that he was aware of outside the hotel
and
no screening by security to ensure that only guests with keys could
enter the hotel's elevators. He got into the elevator and suddenly
two
women got in with him. He was in the middle of the elevator and the
women got to his left and right and immediately starting to grope him.
He shrugged them off and got out the elevator
on the lobby level. You know the rest of the story.
However, what I didn't know is that the NOPD immediately took an
adversarial position with him. They handcuffed him and started
screaming at him accusing him of making the approach to the women and
that he was trying to solicit the women to come to his room.
Alex had already started canceling his credit cards and the police
knew
that they were not dealing with a typical stupid tourist. At that
point
they tried to cut a deal with him by pushing him to admit to
soliciting
the women and if he would admit to this, they would let him go or they
would arrest him and take him to jail if he didn't make
confess. He told me that at one point a ranking officer came onto
the scene and really harassed him to make a confession. Again he
didn't
agree. One officer then conveniently found his wallet less the cash
which Alex said was over $300.00. Three officers escorted him to his
room along with three or so Ritz employees and they kicked him out
onto
the street with his luggage to fend for himself. He had no cash and
no
real knowledge of the city. He made his way toward the river and
finally got a hotel room at the Marriott. He hasn't slept since the
incident took place.
Imagine being robbed, then handcuffed by the police and badgered to
admit to a crime you didn't commit, kicked out your hotel and then
forced to walk one of the worst crime ridden streets in the city.
What a way to be treated.
Rafael then interviewed Alex and got the story straight from his
mouth.
He then called me to give me his opinion. He did not think that the
police were part of the scam. However, he strongly believes that the
police reacted the way they did to avoid having to report a robbery in
the 8th district. Having served on the NOPD for three years I can
tell
you it was not that way when I was on the force. He said that since
Chief Pennington was the head of the force the police have purposely
tried to gloss over the crime in the city simply by not reporting it.
In this case, the robbery would have had to be written up on a report
and every week the Commander of each district has to report to the
Chief
the crime in his respective district. Adverse crime activity would
hinder or eliminate the Commander's bonus and may even cause him to
lose
his $150,000 a year job. This job is not easily replaced elsewhere,
so
the Commander's have instructed their rank and file to reduce the
crime
stats in their district, even using unscrupulous tactics such as
non-reporting of criminal activity.
The handcuffing and strong armed tactics inflicted on Alex was part of
the NOPD's coverup. Fortunately for Alex, his maintaining that he was
non guilty caused the police to release him and kicking him out the
hotel would eliminate the problem hopefully for the police and the
hotel. Isn't it interesting that the management of the Ritz let the
police throw out their paying guest without a hearing or due process.
Now that's a first class establishment.
Rafael believes that the reason the hotel said nothing and went along
with the police was that they didn't want any bad press. A robbery in
the lobby of the Ritz Carlton would be bad for business and perhaps
for
the management of the hotel. Just remember that when you are
frequenting that hotel in the future.
Unfortunately, Rafael reported to me that Alex just wants to forget
the entire night and the horror story he witnessed first hand.
Imagine what would happen to you if you were in his shoes. An out of
towner gets robbed after a late night in the French Quarter in the
lobby
elevator of a luxury hotel. No matter what you said in your defense,
many would simply shrug this off as a typical drunk soliciting two
black
prostitutes to have some fun. Imagine how that would devastate your
young wife, your family and perhaps law partners and clients. Before
you would ever get to explain your side you would be irrepairably
labeled. I hope he changes his mind as Rafael said that the only way
we
can attempt to change this is to expose it. He wanted Alex to file a
complaint or go to the Feds via the Inspector General who oversees the
Police but the IG just resigned. At the very least he wanted him to
tell his story to the new media. I hope Alex changes his mind for our
sakes but I sympathize and understand if he doesn't. After all we
have
to live here, he doesn't.
At least Rafael and the MCC are well aware of the corruption and
statistic cooking being done by the police in New Orleans . If we
don't
take a stand soon the problem will become such that no one will want
to
visit New Orleans . As he said, Alex is a well spoken, educated
lawyer
from a good background and look at how he was treated. Imagine how a
less educated blue collar person would be treated, they wouldn't
stand a
chance. However, perhaps that person would not have had the luxury of
staying at the Ritz Carlton where the best you get is to be thrown out
onto the street.
I remember a retiring Judge in New Orleans telling me a few years back
"Elder, don't get in trouble in Orleans Parish. We don't have many
friend left to help you out anymore". Boy, he sure was right.
Elder
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
On Jan 31, 2009, at 6:06 PM, E Brown wrote:
Since I know all of you go to the French Quarter I wanted to tell
You of two instances involving people I know. The first one happened at
Galatoires not long ago and the other at the Ritz Carlton just last
night. I now see their connection and what is happening. Both
incidents involve men by themselves.
Not long ago a friend was leaving Galatoires having had a nice
Dinner and plenty to drink. While leaving the restaurant three
women surrounded him and claimed that he pinched one of them.
Almost immediately police intervened and arrested the man despite
his insistence that he did nothing and was being falsely accused.
He was thrown in jail and kept over night then released. His wallet
was returned and all of his credit cards and cash were missing. He
basically was stranded in New Orleans as he lived in Nashville and
was visiting friends of ours. I do not know what happened after that.
However, just last night my son took some friends to the Hornets
Game and used the suite. I do not know all of the people with him at the
game but I do know that one of the guests happened to be a lawyer
friend named Alex of ours named Alex from Knoxville , TN. He was
in town attending a legal seminar with other members of his firm.
After the game Elder and Alex went back to the Ritz Carlton where Elder
parked and where Alex was staying. Elder left for Covington and
said good bye. Alex then got into the elevator to go up to the hotel's
lobby and then to his room. As the door was closing two black women
jumped into the elevator and started hovering over him asking him if
he wanted their services etc. He said no and pushed them off. The
door opened and he got away from the women. However, as he was
walking in the lobby he noticed his wallet missing and realized that
the women had stolen it when they were rubbing against him. He
dropped his jacket and screamed that he had been robbed. Almost
immediately two NOPD police officers surrounded him and accused him
of soliciting the women for prostitution. No comments from any of
you, but that wasn't the situation.
The police told Alex that he was going to jail for solicitation and
he made them aware that he was a lawyer which they responded by saying
something like, I guess you think you can talk your way out of it.
He quickly remembered that the elevator had a camera and
said that he wanted to play the tape back to show his innocence.
The police said they would do that but he couldn't view it with
them.
Instead they came back, supposedly after viewing the video, and said
the tape showed he was soliciting and they told him either he
confessed or they would take him to jail. About the same time a
woman NOPD officer came on the scene and told Alex to simply admit to the
incident and it would be over and done with and they would let him
go.
Alex told the police that isn't it ironic that he was in New Orleans
attending a seminar on how to defend the police when they are
accused of a crime. He naturally refused the opportunity to incriminate
himself.
>
One of the police left the scene for a few moments and miraculously
came back with Alex's wallet with his credit cards but no cash.
They then told him that he had to leave the Ritz Carlton
immediately.
As incredible as that part was, they escorted him to his room, made
him pack and then made him check out forfeiting his Saturday night
room charge that he had already guaranteed. The police then kicked
him out of the Ritz Carlton. The night manager interestingly did
nothing to protect one of his hotel guests. He then made his way to
the Marriott and got a room not believing what had happened.
Obviously the police were in the scam and covered for the women
Making the charges or were flipping the facts and making our friend the
guilty party. There was no attempt to try to find the women or to
take the side of the single man in both cases.
I tell you this since we all walk at times by ourselves in the
French Quarter and at night (sometimes very late etc.). I doubt if either
Of these situations would have had the same result if both men were
with others. I know from my three years on the NOPD that the French
Quarter cops are particularly on the take. When I was on the force
I witnessed shake downs and bag men delivering cash to be divided up
By the cops. I actually walked in one day while the cash was being
stacked and distributed. I was lucky to have been able to walk into
the situation and walk out almost as fast while the cops stood
around counting the money in a local gas station in the Quarter across from
my office. I was in a coat and tie and told them that I saw nothing
and left. Back then the shake down was on bars, pimps and
prostitutes. Today the cops are using those low lifes to shake
down the visitors. They know that no man wants any allegation as to
their alleged bad behavior to hit the news or to get back home. Instead,
they shake down the tourist and make him the guilty party. The stakes
are much higher today post Katrina and New Orleans has absolutely
one of the worst scum-bag police forces and political structures in the
country and getting worse by the day. Maybe the Ex FBI chief will
run for office and clean the department up.
I know that Alex will be doing something about last night's incident
but as a single person he may find the effort useless. We can, on
the other hand, be real careful when walking to and from our cars or
other establishments in the Quarter and never by ourselves. The Cops and
their associates are looking for single men by themselves and know
their game plan. Please pass this on to your family and friends.
It's not funny when two people you know have been scammed. If I
Know two people who experienced this how many more are there out there
Each and every night?
Be careful.
UPDATE
A bit of an update. I have added a few new recipients to this email
so
if you are new, skip to the email below and then read my comments
here.
At the request of Dan Haeuser, board member of the Metropolitan Crime
commission, I received an immediate call from Rafael Goyeneche,
President of the MCC this morning. I explained to Rafael that I had
learned of this incident via my daughter and would like to personally
speak to Alex to get his firsthand experience of last Friday night's
incident. I told him I would ask Alex to agree to speaking to Rafael
afterwards.
The story tracked the way Simonne told me. However, it always helps
to
get a story from the horse's mouth. Alex is a fine young man, a
friend
of my son-in-law and was in their recent wedding. He is well
educated and works in his father's law firm in Knoxville . He is a
credible witness.
When Alex and Elder III arrived at the Ritz Carlton from a night out
after the Hornet's game it was then very early Saturday morning.
Elder and his date left to go back home and Alex stopped outside the
front of the hotel to smoke a cigarette. After a few puffs he said he
had had enough and wanted to go to bed. He walked into the corridor
leading to the elevators that take you to the 2nd floor and lobby of
the
hotel. There was no security that he was aware of outside the hotel
and
no screening by security to ensure that only guests with keys could
enter the hotel's elevators. He got into the elevator and suddenly
two
women got in with him. He was in the middle of the elevator and the
women got to his left and right and immediately starting to grope him.
He shrugged them off and got out the elevator
on the lobby level. You know the rest of the story.
However, what I didn't know is that the NOPD immediately took an
adversarial position with him. They handcuffed him and started
screaming at him accusing him of making the approach to the women and
that he was trying to solicit the women to come to his room.
Alex had already started canceling his credit cards and the police
knew
that they were not dealing with a typical stupid tourist. At that
point
they tried to cut a deal with him by pushing him to admit to
soliciting
the women and if he would admit to this, they would let him go or they
would arrest him and take him to jail if he didn't make
confess. He told me that at one point a ranking officer came onto
the scene and really harassed him to make a confession. Again he
didn't
agree. One officer then conveniently found his wallet less the cash
which Alex said was over $300.00. Three officers escorted him to his
room along with three or so Ritz employees and they kicked him out
onto
the street with his luggage to fend for himself. He had no cash and
no
real knowledge of the city. He made his way toward the river and
finally got a hotel room at the Marriott. He hasn't slept since the
incident took place.
Imagine being robbed, then handcuffed by the police and badgered to
admit to a crime you didn't commit, kicked out your hotel and then
forced to walk one of the worst crime ridden streets in the city.
What a way to be treated.
Rafael then interviewed Alex and got the story straight from his
mouth.
He then called me to give me his opinion. He did not think that the
police were part of the scam. However, he strongly believes that the
police reacted the way they did to avoid having to report a robbery in
the 8th district. Having served on the NOPD for three years I can
tell
you it was not that way when I was on the force. He said that since
Chief Pennington was the head of the force the police have purposely
tried to gloss over the crime in the city simply by not reporting it.
In this case, the robbery would have had to be written up on a report
and every week the Commander of each district has to report to the
Chief
the crime in his respective district. Adverse crime activity would
hinder or eliminate the Commander's bonus and may even cause him to
lose
his $150,000 a year job. This job is not easily replaced elsewhere,
so
the Commander's have instructed their rank and file to reduce the
crime
stats in their district, even using unscrupulous tactics such as
non-reporting of criminal activity.
The handcuffing and strong armed tactics inflicted on Alex was part of
the NOPD's coverup. Fortunately for Alex, his maintaining that he was
non guilty caused the police to release him and kicking him out the
hotel would eliminate the problem hopefully for the police and the
hotel. Isn't it interesting that the management of the Ritz let the
police throw out their paying guest without a hearing or due process.
Now that's a first class establishment.
Rafael believes that the reason the hotel said nothing and went along
with the police was that they didn't want any bad press. A robbery in
the lobby of the Ritz Carlton would be bad for business and perhaps
for
the management of the hotel. Just remember that when you are
frequenting that hotel in the future.
Unfortunately, Rafael reported to me that Alex just wants to forget
the entire night and the horror story he witnessed first hand.
Imagine what would happen to you if you were in his shoes. An out of
towner gets robbed after a late night in the French Quarter in the
lobby
elevator of a luxury hotel. No matter what you said in your defense,
many would simply shrug this off as a typical drunk soliciting two
black
prostitutes to have some fun. Imagine how that would devastate your
young wife, your family and perhaps law partners and clients. Before
you would ever get to explain your side you would be irrepairably
labeled. I hope he changes his mind as Rafael said that the only way
we
can attempt to change this is to expose it. He wanted Alex to file a
complaint or go to the Feds via the Inspector General who oversees the
Police but the IG just resigned. At the very least he wanted him to
tell his story to the new media. I hope Alex changes his mind for our
sakes but I sympathize and understand if he doesn't. After all we
have
to live here, he doesn't.
At least Rafael and the MCC are well aware of the corruption and
statistic cooking being done by the police in New Orleans . If we
don't
take a stand soon the problem will become such that no one will want
to
visit New Orleans . As he said, Alex is a well spoken, educated
lawyer
from a good background and look at how he was treated. Imagine how a
less educated blue collar person would be treated, they wouldn't
stand a
chance. However, perhaps that person would not have had the luxury of
staying at the Ritz Carlton where the best you get is to be thrown out
onto the street.
I remember a retiring Judge in New Orleans telling me a few years back
"Elder, don't get in trouble in Orleans Parish. We don't have many
friend left to help you out anymore". Boy, he sure was right.
Elder
