NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana - June 19, 2011 - Five New Orleans police officers accused of indiscriminately shooting people in the chaos unleashed by Hurricane Katrina face a high-profile trial in the coming week.
The deadly 2005 shooting on the Danziger Bridge and resulting cover-up came to epitomize the city's failure to protect its citizens and exposed deep-rooted corruption in the police department, which many say remains unaddressed.
"This trial is going to show the country and the world that we have a serious problem with our police department," said Eddie Jordan, the city's former District Attorney. "This department is engaged in horrendous acts against its citizens."
Fear soon followed the deadly floodwaters that swallowed 80% of New Orleans and left thousands stranded on their rooftops after Katrina smashed through the city's poorly maintained levees on August 29, 2005.
Reports of widespread looting and armed gangs roaming the city shifted the government's already botched response from humanitarian aid to a military operation.
Then-Governor Kathleen Blanco sent in National Guard troops, announcing, "These troops know how to shoot and kill and I expect they will."
Warren Riley, then-second in charge of the New Orleans police department, reportedly instructed officers to "take the city back and shoot looters."
In the following days, six people - almost all of them black - were killed under suspicious circumstances in incidents involving police. Scores more were injured.
"We had more incidents of police misconduct than civilian misconduct," said Jordan. "All these stories of looting pale next to what the police did."
