Posted on 04/19/2010 1:33:23 PM PDT by abb
UPDATE, 3:20 p.m.: Weve got so much information coming in on this story now, its hard to keep track of it all. So rather than craft some sort of elegant narrative of this thing, well stick to bullet points.
- Nobody from the New Orleans Police Department talked to Allee Bautsch at any length until Thursday of last week.
- The picture at left, of which we now have several shots, is of an individual who, if he isnt the prime suspect in the beating of Allee Bautsch and Joe Brown, sure ought to be. Bautsch told me via e-mail this morning that the suspect she and Joe Brown looked exactly like that, and so did the rest of them (with different color hair). She took pains to say that she cant make a positive identification of this man as one of her attackers, but he fits the description they gave to the New Orleans police. This is someone who needs to be questioned about the attack; there are two YouTube videos still available on which he appears.
The first one is of the protest as it marched from Lafayette Park to the Hilton.
And the second one is of the protestors as they marched to Brennans.
He was on the scene, he was part of the protest and the victims say he looks exactly like one of the assailants, right down to what he was wearing.
- Hayride contributor Walter Abbott writes on Lincoln Parish News Online that the police didnt arrive on the scene of the Brennans protest until 9:30 on the night of April 9. Security for the event appears to have been dangerously thin. Video shot by the protestors and since taken down showed one NOPD officer at the scene shooing protestors away. Within an hour and a half or so, Allee Bautsch and Joe Brown were hit. Abbotts update has another attendee at the protest describing the crowd at the Brennans protest as unruly and were crowded up against the front door of the restaurant. The protestors were also asking to be let in so as to use the bathroom; we understand that one female protestor was allowed to do so but not without a Brennans employee escort.
- Bautsch had accompanied a Brennans employee outside of the restaurant while the protest was going on, and at that time the Brennans employee had told the protestors that all three of the governors had left and there were no elected officials still in the restaurant to hear their complaints. The significance of this is the protestors got a look at Allee Bautsch in advance of her leaving the restaurant, which she and Joe Brown did through the front door. The fact that she was with the Brennans employee as that announcement was made to the demonstrators would have given the impression she was in a position beyond just that of an attendee at the fundraiser; since we know that Louisiana GOP chairman Roger Villere was chased into a cab by protestors an hour or so before Bautsch and Brown left the restaurant, one could well make an inference that some of those demonstrators were bent on attacking people in charge of that fundraiser.
- Weve been trying to contact Sgt. Nick Gernon, the detective on the case, for a couple of days. Hopefully well get in touch with him today and a report on that conversation will be forthcoming if it turns up any news. Weve been told Gernon is first-rate. His normal caseload, though, usually involves crackheads and drug-related crime in the 8th District; whether that would put him in a position to have the contacts for this case is a question that remains to be answered.
- As of now, it does not appear that the Jindal administration has asked the Louisiana State Police to get involved in this investigation. This has created something of a stir, in that were told the state troopers want in on it big-time. The practice of downgrading cases by the NOPD to make the crime statistics look better is something many law enforcement officials statewide are extremely unhappy about and have been for a long time; that it almost assuredly happened in the case of the governors chief fundraiser has the LSP very uncomfortable, to put it charitably. The reader is free to form his/her opinion as to whether the state police should have already been on the case.
- Were told that a couple of busboys from the Royal House Oyster Bar, which overlooks the scene, were overheard saying they saw the entire attack on April 9. Hopefully were not getting this information in advance of the NOPD; if we are, maybe we can pass that along to Sgt. Gernon.
We expect to have another update on this later today, as there are lots of balls still in the air here. But so far, it is of major concern here that unless some added priority is added to this case either by the political officials involved or the law enforcement agencies who are or could be involved, the trail will go cold. And it is unacceptable to think that a member of a sitting governors staff (campaign or otherwise) could be put in the hospital less than two blocks from a major fundraiser and the assailants not found; this is an outrage and a scandal which will only grow until some measure of progress is made on delivering justice for Allee Bautsch and Joe Brown.
ping
ping
Why don’t we make all available aid commensurate with their willingness to protect American citizens?
The video of the redheaded, bearded dude has been out for a while. NOPD whould have notrouble finding this person. Of course if the “officials” are no longer interested in Justice that is an outcome I am prepared to accept. We can certainly begin to take things that direction...
Where the hell is Jinal on all this? Is she supposed to take a bullet for the boss?
Here's the guy (maybe)! CREEP.
Could you help me ping everyone who’s been interested. I never did have time to do a ping list.
thx,
abb
Why isn’t the FBI being called in? RICO?
Yeah.....I’m VERY disappointed in Jindal on this.
If a ping list is started, please include me. Thanks.
As of this weekend, the suspect is (probably) a clean-shaven blonde with a crew cut and a (spry-on) tan.
ping
It was a straight White Republican.
It would be awesome to see the next Jindal event canceled because no staffer wants to go with him.
THE HAYRIDE is doing a superb job of detailing and maintaing the record.
Thank you, abb, for keeping us informed!!!!
I bet he may be holed up in the “Iron Rail” socialist “library”.
Jindal’s press office ain’t answering the phone. 225/342-8006
Justice for Allee. NOW!
lol.
right, he may be wearing a dress to.
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