Posted on 08/21/2006 8:04:16 AM PDT by gopwinsin04
New Orleans police chief during Hurricane Katrina, Eddie Compass, says he unnecessarily "heightened people's fears" by repeating unconfirmed reports of out-of-control crime in the city during the aftermath of the storm, adding to the confusion caused by the disaster and potentially hampering rescue efforts.
"There were reports of rapes and children being raped. I even got one report that my daughter was raped," Mr. Compass says in a Spike Lee documentary scheduled to air on HBO tonight.
"In hindsight, I guess I heightened people's fears by me being the superintendent of police, reporting these things that were reported to me," Mr Compass said. "But there was really no way for me to check definitively. So I repeated these things without being substantiated, and it caused a lot of problems."
Officials and local commentators have long suggested that the false reports of rampant crime following the hurricane were a reason for the slowness of rescue efforts. With recovery teams and humanitarian aid groups frightened to enter the city, many storm survivors were left stranded on roofs without food and water, in makeshift rafts, and in filthy conditions at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
In part due to the trumped-up crime reports, officials in a neighboring town fearing the chaos would spread responded by ordering police to shoot any evacuee who attempted to cross the Crescent City Connection bridge into the city of Gretna from New Orleans.
"I'm going to tell you that during that storm, the national media reported rampant rumors that have now turned out not to be true. And people were terrified," Louisiana's lieutenant governor, Mitch Landrieu, says in the film.
"In my estimation, that Gretna thing was a way overreaction to rampant rumors that were being pushed in the mainstream media," he adds.
(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...
He is right - the worst enemy of those trying to maintain order in the Superdome was handheld radios.
Hey, Chief Eddie, great police work!
Can't wait for the next black hurricane sent by Karl Rove and President Bush!

The biggest disasters in NO.
I like how the only people effected by Katrina were blacks in NOLA....
'black hurricane' lmao
Media Schadenfreude and Media Shenanigans
The false reports didn't keep a journalist who repeated such incorrect detail from getting a Pulitzer Prize.
The retractions need to be louder.
Photoshop the governor's face in there and you've got the Three Stooges.
I'd like to personally B*tch slap Sheppard Smith for his part in it.. actually, I have never liked that twerp, I'd like to slap him upside the head just for being himself.
Live thread, anyone?
I want to know why the headline doesn't read "FORMER POLICE CHEIF"?
He lied about THAT, just like he LIED when he said he did not steal 1,000's of guns from the law abiding. But what can one expect from Chocolate City?
You take Shep, I get Jerry Rivers.
Add Anderson Cooper to the hall of shame.
"The post Katrina aftermath was largely a myth."
Really? You know, I have read that a lot on FR. I'm of the opinion that the real "myth" is the unprecendented occurence of the media "slapping it's own hand" on this one.
I've yet to speak to anyone who was actually there who would tell you they lived a "myth".
I am confused, as one who lives 75 miles east of New Orleans, (Mississippi), how this man can lie and said none of this was true. Not only were their rapes, in hospitals of their staff, and stealing drugs from the hospitals, they, the thugs, stayed behind to loot, pillage and plunder. They were in fact, shooting at relief personnel, firefighters, police, hence, some leaving, UNTIL the military came in and blew them away, even while shooting from inside of the brick buildings. The powers that be in New Orleans did in fact recieve billions from our government and have as of yet dispursed said funds. The only decent people left in New Orleans are some business owners, and locals around the Garden District. It is a literal ghost town. BUT NOT AS A FAULT OF OUR GOVERNMENT.
Makes good airplay though, and imagine if a white Nagen made those statements recently, what would happen. He should be in jail along with the gov.

I still can see Shep having a fit about babies dying at the convention center.
All rumors reported as truth.
LOL!
I had forgotten about that POS!
Now, I HAVE talked to someone who lived through it, and he assures me it was as bad as one could imagine. He showed me pictures, told me his story, but basically he said that it was the peoples fault, because the KNEW the storm was coming, and yet the stood their ground. And this guy is a "real scientist", so he is no dummy. He basically blames himself and his neighbors. He also did NOT report any rampant crime or gang problems or anything like that, it was mostly neighbors helping neighbors. So the storm and flooding itself was as bad as reported, but the rest was exagerated.
Compass ought to be in jail for unlawfully issuing orders to disarm law-abiding citizens in a situation where arms were an absolute necessity for self-protection.
Look up "deprivation of civil rights under color of law".
Thats two of our favorites!
Mee-Maw and Baby Fat!
say that again chief ping
Add Chief Moose for the trifecta of brain dead incompetence.
Re: #12
Because their spell-checker caught it!!
This crap happens every year, we need a new sewer system. I'm DEFINITELY voting for a new city councilman this year.
I bet this goes with the phantom (federal tax dollar paid) police officers.
Oops!
Well, the ex police superintendent of NO just told the world it was a myth. Does that count?
yitbos
Who told you this stuff, the Police Superintendent who had to resign because of his lies?
yitbos
If this makes you feel any better, they were "shooting to kill" BEFORE she or the military arrived, both there and here... I will never forget the feeling of relief when they arrived and covered ALL of our backs. I will be forever grateful. And God bless you and yours, stay well.
bttt
No, and where do you live. I tend to believe my friends and partners who asked for reinforcements, during and after the storm. Thankfully, the military arrived ALL ACROSS THE GULF COAST, AND TOOK CARE OF BUSINESS.
Of course, it is easier to believe nothing really happened. Another "out of sight, out of mind" person.
Sounds like he is passing the buck and not taking full responsibility for his actions
Or that the majority of them will NEVER be returned!
The owners cannot find their purchase receipt, or proof of inheritance, proof of the gift, etc. in order to "prove" they owned the confiscated guns.
If a cop takes your property and does not give you a receipt, consider it stolen, and do not expect to get it back.
I snuck a few peaks at the Spike Lee docu tonight. It seemed a little bit fair. But when Harry Belafonte appeared on the screen, I had to leave to avoid an episode of nuclear projectile barfing.
Feds Sending Help For Law Enforcers (New Orleans)
The Times Picayune ^ | August 21, 2006 | Sheila Grissett
Posted on 08/21/2006 7:42:32 PM PDT by mcg2000
Geez, who'd of thought extra law enforcement was needed here now in the year2006, to control and prosecute the thugs? Get a grip....
"Thankfully, the military arrived ALL ACROSS THE GULF COAST, AND TOOK CARE OF BUSINESS."
I have friends in the COE and Wildlife and Fisheries that share that sentiment. Regardless what these denyers say, people I know and trust were there and they sing a far different tune. "I was much safer in Iraq", was one of my COE friend's comments.
Better late than never....
Of course you would never believe a fellow law enforcement partner, firefighter or military back up would you???
What else could the lousy gov. and mayor do but force retractions.... I would love to see the US FEDS order an accounting of all payoffs made to victems and families to keep quiet... been there seen that, and not just in NOR...
It was quelled IMEDIATELY in other cities...
Read this, but again, you would never believe us LOCALS>>>>
To: Terridan; bruinbirdman
"Thankfully, the military arrived ALL ACROSS THE GULF COAST, AND TOOK CARE OF BUSINESS."
I have friends in the COE and Wildlife and Fisheries that share that sentiment. Regardless what these denyers say, people I know and trust were there and they sing a far different tune. "I was much safer in Iraq", was one of my COE friend's comments.
44 posted on 08/22/2006 8:04:10 AM PDT by L98Fiero (Evil is an exact science)
I'll bet ol' Shoot First Harry Lee didn't have any trouble in Jefferson Parish. He'd be in a helicoptor shooting looters with a machine gun.
yitbos
I'll bet ol' Shoot First Harry Lee didn't have any trouble in Jefferson Parish. He'd be in a helicoptor shooting looters with a machine gun.
yitbos
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