Mortician contradicts reports downplaying crime, Part 2
Tags: No TagsPart 1 is here. I spoke with Mark Roper of Roper & Sons, and discussed his remarks which had been printed in the Journal Star's "Mortician surprised by New Orleans dead".
He said that FEMA team rules prevent him from discussing figures and details, but I informed him that Orleans Parish District Attorney Eddie Jordan says there were only four confirmed murders in all of that parish in the aftermath of Katrina. When also informed that that parish contains New Orleans, he seemed a bit surprised at the low number. Unfortunately, due to those team rules he did not provide even an estimate of the numbers of homicides, so we may need to wait for various official statements.
UPDATE: For some background, see "Small La. town getting makeshift morgue".
September 27th, 2005 at 9:39 pm
You did not tell Roper the truth, then. The NOLA article said that 10 bodies were found in the Superdome and Convention Center, not "all of that parish." All but two seemed to haves expired from natural causes. (Probably a suicide and a homicide.) There will doubtlessly be other victims of homicide found in New Orleans, though it appears the gross exaggerations occurring have vastly overstated the incidence of murder and other violent crimes.
The eagerness of some people to paint the black citizens of New Orleans as savages apparently continues even when there is reliable evidence to the contrary. You have offered no real reason for your claim of a coverup, just speculation.
September 27th, 2005 at 11:50 pm
The DA is quoted in the now infamous NOLA debunking article as saying there were only four confirmed murders in all of NO. That's what I told Roper, but thanks for your input.