Would you mind telling me what year New Orleans had 500 murders in one year? The murder rate is above the national average, no doubt about that, but I don't think it has ever hit the 500 mark and has certainly been getting better on average. Last year spiked up but prior to that it had been on a pretty good downtrend.
It was in the mid to late 1990's, if I remember correctly. I was in the active duty Air Force living in Omaha at the time, but a friend in Louisiana kept me posted on the body count.