NEW ORLEANS -- Disheartening - frustrating - and shocking. Those are the words New Orleans' top cop used to describe the actions of a retired NOPD lieutenant.
Former Lt. Michael Lohman admitted that he and others tried to cover-up a deadly police shooting on the Danziger Bridge in the days following Hurricane Katrina.
"Today is a dark and disappointing day for the citizens of New Orleans, especially for the honest and dedicated members of the New Orleans Police Department," said Superintendent Warren Riley. "We are both victims of illegal actions committed by this former ranking member who violated the public's trust and the department's code of conduct."
Two people were killed and four others severely wounded when police open fire on the Danziger Bridge.
Lohman pleaded guilty in federal court in a conspiracy to obstruct justice.
The former cop admitted that he and investigators under his supervision manufactured evidence, planted a weapon under the bridge and fabricated a 17-page police report to justify the shooting.
Chief Riley was second in command when the shooting happened and admits that he was briefed on the shooting. He described it as a chaotic time for the NOPD.
"I did not read the report," said Riley. "I was briefed. You have to realize that we were trying to get housing, We were trying to deal with officers whose families were displaced. There was so many things going on, but I was briefed on the report and from the briefing it certainly was not indicative in any way that there was a cover up."
Orleans District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro said the fallout from the Lohman guilty plea could have a chilling effect at criminal court.
Lohman supervised major crime investigations in the NOPD's 6th District, one of the city's crime hot spots.
Cannizzaro said every case he worked on can now be scrutinized by defense attorneys.
"Every defendant who has been convicted as a result of testimony he might have given in a criminal case, has a right to file post-conviction applications and relief if they believe there was some perjured or false testimony taken in connection take with that," said Cannizzaro.
For now, Cannizzaro says he will let the federal investigation proceed. He is not ruling out one day reopening the state's case against the so-called Danziger 7.
A state judge threw out the case against the officers at the Danziger Bridge a year and a half ago.
"Since there is no statute of limitations on homicide or a murder case, in the state of Louisiana, if evidence is brought forth which gives us evidence, sufficient enough whereby we can go forward with a prosecution, we have an obligation and are duty bound to look at that," said Cannizzaro.
Six of the seven officers implicated in the shooting are still with the NOPD, but assigned to desk duty.
One of the officers retired and moved away from New Orleans.
"Michael Lohman deserves to go to jail," said Riley. "Any other officers who participated in this cover up should also go to prison and be given the maximum sentence allowed."
