Two New Orleans Police Officers Indicted In 2005 Civilian Death

New Orleans, LA, United States (AHN) – Two New Orleans Police Department officers have been indicted on charges in the beating death of a civilian in their custody on July 30, 2005. One of the officers faces a maximum of life in prison on the beating charges, while the other faces up to 25 years on charges of obstructing justice.

Officers Melvin Williams and Matthew Dean Moore were both charged with obstruction of justice of a federal probe into the case.

Williams was also charged with violating the Raymond Robair’s constitutional rights in an indictment that alleges Williams beat Robair with a baton and kicked him, causing injuries that resulted in death.

Robair’s ribs were broken and his spleen was ruptured. He was taken to Charity Hospital where he was pronounced dead later in the day.

Williams and Moore were both charged with filing a false police report and with failing to tell hospital personnel that Robair had been beaten.

Moore was also charged with lying to FBI agents investigating the incident earlier this year. Moore told FBI agents that Williams had not beaten or kicked Robair.

The indictment of Moore and Williams follows the guilty pleas of five former New Orleans Police Department officers who admitted helping the pair in the cover-up of the incident.

In addition, a few weeks ago five current and former police officers were indicted for incidents that took place during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a week after the hurricane struck. Two civilians were shot and killed and four other people were wounded. Although it was two separate shootings, both incidents happened on Sept. 4, 2005 on the Danziger Bridge as widespread, massive flooding after the hurricane displaced thousands of peoples.

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