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{{Short description|Murder}}
{{Dablink|Note that the Henry Glover discussed in this article has no relation to [[Henry Glover|Henry Glover (musician)]].}}
{{for|the American musician (1921–1991)|Henry Glover}}
{{infobox news event
{{infobox news event
| title = Death of Henry Glover
| title = Shooting of Henry Glover
| image =
| image =
| image_upright =
| image_upright =
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| date = {{start date|2005|9|2}}
| date = {{start date|2005|9|2}}
| time =
| time =
| place = [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]], [[United States]]
| place = [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]], [[U.S.]]
| coordinates =
| coordinates =
| also known as =
| also known as =
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| coroner =
| coroner =
| suspects = David Warren
| suspects = David Warren
| charges = Federal: 1) Deprivation of rights under color of law, 2) Use of a weapon during commission of a violet crime
| charges = Federal: 1) Deprivation of rights under color of law, 2) Use of a weapon during commission of a violent crime
| verdict = Not guilty
| verdict = Not guilty
| convictions =
| convictions =
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}}
}}


'''Henry Glover''' was an [[African American]] resident of [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]], who was fatally shot by [[New Orleans Police Department]] (NOPD) officer David Warren on September 2, 2005. Glover's charred body was later found in a destroyed [[Chevrolet Malibu]] parked on a [[Mississippi River]] [[levee]].
'''Henry Glover''' was an [[African American]] resident of [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]], who was shot to death on September 2, 2005. Glover's charred body was later found in a destroyed [[Chevrolet Malibu]] parked on a [[Mississippi River]] [[levee]] near a police station.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-11-04 |title=Law and Disorder – The Killing of Henry Glover: Who Else Knew? - ProPublica |url=http://www.propublica.org/nola/story/the-killing-of-henry-glover-who-else-knew |access-date=2023-11-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104161651/http://www.propublica.org/nola/story/the-killing-of-henry-glover-who-else-knew |archive-date=2010-11-04 }}</ref>


Warren was tried on federal charges relating to Glover's death, eventually resulting in an acquittal. Four other NOPD officers were charged in connection with events following Glover's death, including the burning of the body.
[[New Orleans Police Department]] (NOPD) Officer David Warren was indicted and tried on federal charges relating to Glover's death,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-11-04 |title=Law and Disorder – The Killing of Henry Glover: Who Else Knew? - ProPublica |url=http://www.propublica.org/nola/story/the-killing-of-henry-glover-who-else-knew |access-date=2023-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104161651/http://www.propublica.org/nola/story/the-killing-of-henry-glover-who-else-knew |archive-date=2010-11-04 }}</ref> eventually resulting in an acquittal after a retrial following his initial conviction. Four other NOPD officers were charged in connection with events following Glover's death, including the burning of the body.


==Persons involved==
==Persons involved==
*Henry Glover was a 31-year-old African-American resident of the [[Algiers, New Orleans|Algiers neighborhood]] of New Orleans.
*Henry Glover was a 31-year-old African-American resident of the [[Algiers, New Orleans|Algiers neighborhood]] of New Orleans.
*David Warren, a rookie NOPD police officer at the time.
*David Warren, a rookie NOPD police officer at the time.
*Greg McRae, an NOPD police officer at the time.
*Gregory McRae, an NOPD police officer at the time.
*Robert Italiano, an NOPD police lieutenant at the time.
*Robert Italiano, an NOPD police lieutenant at the time.
*Travis McCabe, an NOPD police lieutenant at the time.
*Travis McCabe, an NOPD police lieutenant at the time.
Line 43: Line 44:


==Shooting==
==Shooting==
Henry Glover had endured Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans along with his mother, brother, and sister.<ref name="frontline-intro"/> On September 2, 2005, Glover had gone to a strip mall to retrieve some baby clothing. NOPD Police Officer David Warren fatally shot Glover from a second-story balcony, from where Warren had been guarding a detective bureau office.<ref name=else />
Henry Glover had endured Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans along with his mother, brother, and sister.<ref name="frontline-intro"/> On September 2, 2005, Glover had gone to a strip mall to retrieve some suitcases of loot.<ref>{{cite web |title=Henry Glover jury finds 3 officers guilty in death, burning of Algiers man |url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_86455c82-6870-50d1-86e8-796e37e1f8aa.html |website=NOLA.com |date=10 December 2010 |access-date=15 December 2020}}</ref> NOPD Police Officer David Warren was charged with fatally shooting Glover from a second-story balcony, from where Warren had been guarding a detective bureau office.<ref name=else />
The next day, another civilian is shot and killed by Matthew Macdonald, an African-American from [[Connecticut]], being shot to death for allegedly resisting arrest.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.propublica.org/article/case-two|title=NOLA Case Two|work=Pro Publica|accessdate=2023-03-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.propublica.org/article/was-a-gun-inside-a-bag-a-threat-to-five-officers-1214|title=New Orleans Police Shot Man, Told Family Otherwise|work=Pro Publica|accessdate=2023-03-20}}</ref>


==Legal proceedings==
==Legal proceedings==
Officer Warren was charged with a federal civil rights violation, specifically one count of committing manslaughter with a firearm. Officer Greg McRae was charged with obstructing justice and other charges in relation to burning Glover's body a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu that belonged to one of Glover's friends. Police Lieutenant Dwayne Scheuermann was charged with assaulting civilians who came to Glover's aid, and obstructing the federal investigation into the burning of Glover's body. Police Lieutenant Travis McCabe was charged with obstructing justice and lying to the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI). He was also charged with lying to a federal grand jury. Police Lieutenant Robert Italiano was charged with obstructing justice and lying to the FBI. In total, the 11-count indictment accused the five officers for their roles in the fatal shooting of Glover, the assaulting of Glover's brother and one of his neighbors, and attempting to conceal their actions, through activities such as the attempted cremation of Glover's corpse. Glover's death was highlighted as an example of [[police misconduct]] in the [[Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans#Aftermath|direct aftermath]] of [[Hurricane Katrina]].<ref name=UPI>{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/11/08/Post-Katrina-police-killing-goes-to-trial/UPI-32951289234279/|title=Post-Katrina police killing goes to trial|date=November 8, 2010|accessdate=November 8, 2010|publisher=[[UPI.com]]}}</ref><ref name=else>{{cite news|url=https://www.propublica.org/nola/story/the-killing-of-henry-glover-who-else-knew|date=April 11, 2010|title=The Killing of Henry Glover: Who Else Knew?|first=A.C.|last=Thompson|publisher=[[ProPublica]]|accessdate=November 8, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104161651/http://www.propublica.org/nola/story/the-killing-of-henry-glover-who-else-knew|archive-date=November 4, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="frontline-intro">{{cite news|publisher=[[PBS Frontline]]|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/law-disorder/etc/script.html|title=Law & Disorder - Transcript|date=August 25, 2010|accessdate=November 8, 2010}}</ref>
Officer Warren was charged with a federal civil rights violation, specifically one count of committing manslaughter with a firearm. Officer Gregory McRae was charged with obstructing justice and other charges in relation to burning Glover's body in a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu that belonged to one of Glover's friends. Police Lieutenant Dwayne Scheuermann was charged with assaulting civilians who came to Glover's aid, and obstructing the federal investigation into the burning of Glover's body. Police Lieutenant Travis McCabe was charged with obstructing justice and lying to the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI). He was also charged with lying to a federal grand jury. Police Lieutenant Robert Italiano was charged with obstructing justice and lying to the FBI. In total, the 11-count indictment accused the five officers for their roles in the fatal shooting of Glover, the assaulting of Glover's brother and one of his neighbors, and attempting to conceal their actions, through activities such as the attempted cremation of Glover's corpse. Glover's death was highlighted as an example of [[police misconduct]] in the [[Effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans#Aftermath|direct aftermath]] of [[Hurricane Katrina]].<ref name=UPI>{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/11/08/Post-Katrina-police-killing-goes-to-trial/UPI-32951289234279/|title=Post-Katrina police killing goes to trial|date=November 8, 2010|accessdate=November 8, 2010|publisher=[[UPI.com]]}}</ref><ref name=else>{{cite news|url=https://www.propublica.org/nola/story/the-killing-of-henry-glover-who-else-knew|date=April 11, 2010|title=The Killing of Henry Glover: Who Else Knew?|first=A.C.|last=Thompson|publisher=[[ProPublica]]|accessdate=November 8, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104161651/http://www.propublica.org/nola/story/the-killing-of-henry-glover-who-else-knew|archive-date=November 4, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="frontline-intro">{{cite news|publisher=[[PBS Frontline]]|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/law-disorder/etc/script.html|title=Law & Disorder - Transcript|date=August 25, 2010|accessdate=November 8, 2010}}</ref>


Prosecutors alleged<ref name=else/><ref name="frontline-intro"/> that Warren had fatally shot Glover in the chest with a .223 rifle near an Algiers strip mall. Glover's brother, Edward King, and sister, Patrice Glover, came to Glover's aid. A neighbor of Glover named William Tanner drove Glover and his brother to seek medical attention at a nearby school, Habans Elementary School, which had been commandeered by a SWAT team of officers. Several SWAT officers testified in trial that Tanner actually fled from a marked police car near the school. It was only after several other police cars joined in the chase that he stopped on the Mercedes Street side of the school. Neither of the two men knew how Glover had been injured. SWAT officers at the school immediately placed Tanner and King into handcuffs, and then allegedly beat them. The jury acquitted the officers on this charge. Testimony in trial also alleged that an African American officer also struck one of the detained men, but little effort was put into finding that officer. While it was alleged by William Tanner in numerous media interviews that the SWAT officers let Henry Glover bleed to death in the car, the trial testimony of Lt. Scheuermann proved that in fact he had checked Glover's body for any signs of life and in fact he was already deceased. This proof was in the form of photographs provided to the defense in discovery. NOPD officer Greg McRae set fire to Glover’s body as it sat inside Tanner’s 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. The car was left parked on a Mississippi River levee down the street from a NOPD office. Istvan Balogh, a former law enforcement officer who had come in from out of state, discovered Glover's corpse on September 9. He admitted in trial that he video taped the burned car with Glover's remains and has since sold copies of the video tape.
Prosecutors alleged<ref name=else/><ref name="frontline-intro"/> that Warren had fatally shot Glover in the chest with a .223 rifle near an Algiers strip mall. Glover's brother, Edward King, and sister, Patrice Glover, came to Glover's aid. A neighbor of Glover named William Tanner drove Glover and his brother to seek medical attention at a nearby school, Habans Elementary School, which had been commandeered by a SWAT team of officers. Several SWAT officers testified in trial that Tanner actually fled from a marked police car near the school. It was only after several other police cars joined in the chase that he stopped on the Mercedes Street side of the school. Neither of the two men knew how Glover had been injured. SWAT officers at the school immediately placed Tanner and King into handcuffs, and then allegedly beat them. The jury acquitted the officers on this charge. Testimony in trial also alleged that an African American officer also struck one of the detained men, but little effort was put into finding that officer. While it was alleged by William Tanner in numerous media interviews that the SWAT officers let Henry Glover bleed to death in the car, the trial testimony of Lt. Scheuermann proved that in fact he had checked Glover's body for any signs of life and in fact he was already deceased. This proof was in the form of photographs provided to the defense in discovery. NOPD officer Gregory McRae set fire to Glover’s body as it sat inside Tanner’s 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. The car was left parked on a Mississippi River levee down the street from a NOPD office. Istvan Balogh, a former law enforcement officer who had come in from out of state, discovered Glover's corpse on September 9. He admitted in trial that he video taped the burned car with Glover's remains and has since sold copies of the video tape.


On March 31, 2011, Judge [[Lance M. Africk]] sentenced David Warren to 25 years and 9 months in federal prison on a federal civil rights violation of committing manslaughter with a firearm. Judge Africk sentenced Greg MacRae to 17 years and 3 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release on obstruction of justice and another civil rights charge.<ref name="NYT sentencing">{{cite news|last=Robertson|first=Campbell|title=2 Former Officers Sentenced in Post-Katrina Killing|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/01/us/01police.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 31, 2011}}</ref><ref name="AP sentencing"/> "Henry Glover was not at the strip mall to commit suicide. He was there to retrieve some baby clothing. You killed a man. Despite your tendentious arguments to the contrary, it was no mistake," Africk told Warren.<ref name="AP sentencing">{{cite news|last=Kunzelman |first=Michael |title=Ex-cops go to prison in post-Katrina killing |url=http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/ex-cops-go-to-892584.html |newspaper=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=March 31, 2011 |agency=Associated Press |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5xbRk7nni?url=http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/ex-cops-go-to-892584.html |archive-date=March 31, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> However, on December 17, 2012, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated Warren's felony conviction and two of the convictions related to McRae, ordering new trials on those charges. The three-judge panel found, among other concerns, that the trials of the two men should have been conducted separately.<ref name="wdsu.com">{{cite news|title=Convictions tossed in Henry Glover case|url=http://www.wdsu.com/news/local-news/new-orleans/Convictions-tossed-in-Henry-Glover-shooting-case/-/9853400/17802628/-/uiq06e/-/index.html|newspaper=WDSU TV|date=Dec 17, 2012|access-date=December 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622142424/http://www.wdsu.com/news/local-news/new-orleans/Convictions-tossed-in-Henry-Glover-shooting-case/-/9853400/17802628/-/uiq06e/-/index.html|archive-date=June 22, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On March 31, 2011, Judge [[Lance Africk]] sentenced David Warren to 25 years and 9 months in federal prison on a federal civil rights violation of committing manslaughter with a firearm. Judge Africk sentenced Gregory McRae to 17 years and 3 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release on obstruction of justice and another civil rights charge.<ref name="NYT sentencing">{{cite news|last=Robertson|first=Campbell|title=2 Former Officers Sentenced in Post-Katrina Killing|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/01/us/01police.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 31, 2011}}</ref><ref name="AP sentencing"/> "Henry Glover was not at the strip mall to commit suicide. He was there to retrieve some baby clothing. You killed a man. Despite your tendentious arguments to the contrary, it was no mistake," Africk told Warren.<ref name="AP sentencing">{{cite news|last=Kunzelman |first=Michael |title=Ex-cops go to prison in post-Katrina killing |url=http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/ex-cops-go-to-892584.html |newspaper=Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date=March 31, 2011 |agency=Associated Press |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240525071029/https://www.webcitation.org/5xbRk7nni?url=http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/ex-cops-go-to-892584.html |archive-date=May 25, 2024 |url-status=dead}}</ref> However, on December 17, 2012, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated Warren's conviction and one of the convictions related to McRae, ordering new trials on those charges. The three-judge panel found, among other concerns, that the trials of the two men should have been conducted separately. Warren was acquitted in 2013.<ref name="wdsu.com">{{cite news|title=Convictions tossed in Henry Glover case|url=http://www.wdsu.com/news/local-news/new-orleans/Convictions-tossed-in-Henry-Glover-shooting-case/-/9853400/17802628/-/uiq06e/-/index.html|newspaper=WDSU TV|date=Dec 17, 2012|access-date=December 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622142424/http://www.wdsu.com/news/local-news/new-orleans/Convictions-tossed-in-Henry-Glover-shooting-case/-/9853400/17802628/-/uiq06e/-/index.html|archive-date=June 22, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Times-Picayune |first=NOLA com {{!}} The |title=Jury acquits David Warren, ex-cop who shot Henry Glover after Katrina |url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/jury-acquits-david-warren-ex-cop-who-shot-henry-glover-after-katrina/article_650e0302-9d69-5ebd-b4d2-744a9b35fa49.html |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=NOLA.com |date=12 December 2013 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="wgno.com">{{cite news|title=Jury finds David Warren not guilty in Katrina shooting re-trial|url=http://wgno.com/2013/12/11/jury-finds-david-warren-not-guilty-in-katrina-shooting-re-trial/|newspaper=WGNO TV|date=Dec 11, 2013}}</ref>


In 2014, McRae was resentenced to 17 years and three months in prison. "You did not merely burn a corpse, you, a law enforcement officer, burned a corpse to obstruct justice," Judge Africk said. He said the acquittal of Warren was irrelevant to McRae's own crimes.<ref>{{Cite web |first=John |last=Simerman |title=Federal judge keeps 17-year sentence for officer who burned body |url=https://www.nola.com/news/article_aca4eb09-931e-5c79-b1dd-1daf8d0bb415.html |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=NOLA.com |date=18 August 2014 |language=en}}</ref>
The Glover case was incorporated into the plot of the television series ''[[Treme (TV series)|Treme]]''.<ref name="nola2013-02-11">{{Cite news | first=Ramon Antonio | last=Vargas | title=Henry Glover case defendants seek change of venue for federal retrials | url=http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2013/02/henry_glover_case_defendants_s.html | date={{Date|2013-02-11}} | newspaper=[[The Times-Picayune]] | accessdate={{Date|2014-08-15}} }}</ref> The defendants cited local media coverage along with the portrayal in ''Treme'' when they sought a [[change of venue]] for the re-trial.<ref name="nola2013-02-11" /> On December 11, 2013, a jury acquitted Warren on both counts against him.<ref name="wgno.com">{{cite news|title=Jury finds David Warren not guilty in Katrina shooting re-trial|url=http://wgno.com/2013/12/11/jury-finds-david-warren-not-guilty-in-katrina-shooting-re-trial/|newspaper=WGNO TV|date=Dec 11, 2013}}</ref>

In 2015, McRae was granted a resentencing hearing after his obstruction of justice conviction was overturned entirely.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Times-Picayune |first=Andy Grimm, NOLA com {{!}} |title=Appeals court orders resentencing for NOPD officer who burned Henry Glover's body |url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_55656036-02de-52e0-a7e3-06003dbbe27d.html |access-date=2022-05-09 |website=NOLA.com |date=29 July 2015 |language=en}}</ref> In 2016, Africk reduced McRae's sentence to 11 years and nine months, which was within the federal guidelines. However, he rejected calls for a greater reduction on the grounds that McRae was mentally disturbed at the time of the crime, stating that a long prison sentence was still warranted due to the severity of the crime. "The facts behind your conviction deal with much more than the burning of an automobile," he said. "By hiding behind a [[blue wall of silence]], you were hiding the truth." McRae was released from prison on April 2, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=SIMERMAN |first=JOHN |title=Judge reduces ex-NOPD officer's sentence in post-Katrina burning of Henry Glover's body |url=https://www.nola.com/news/judge-reduces-ex-nopd-officers-sentence-in-post-katrina-burning-of-henry-glover-s-body/article_f5b92867-e91c-5fc3-a3d1-7082e474c9a7.html |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=NOLA.com |date=5 February 2016 |language=en}}</ref>

The Glover case was incorporated into the plot of the television series ''[[Treme (TV series)|Treme]]''.<ref name="nola2013-02-11">{{Cite news | first=Ramon Antonio | last=Vargas | title=Henry Glover case defendants seek change of venue for federal retrials | url=http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2013/02/henry_glover_case_defendants_s.html | date=11 February 2013 | newspaper=[[The Times-Picayune]] | accessdate=15 August 2014 }}</ref> The defendants cited local media coverage along with the portrayal in ''Treme'' when they sought a [[change of venue]] for the re-trial.<ref name="nola2013-02-11" />


==See also==
==See also==
Line 64: Line 70:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Glover, Henry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Glover, Henry}}
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:Deaths by person in the United States]]
[[Category:Deaths by person in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Effects of Hurricane Katrina]]
[[Category:Effects of Hurricane Katrina]]
[[Category:Police brutality in the United States]]
[[Category:Police brutality in the United States]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in Louisiana]]
[[Category:2005 in Louisiana]]
[[Category:2005 in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Black people shot dead by law enforcement officers in the United States]]
[[Category:African Americans shot dead by law enforcement officers in the United States]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:Crimes in New Orleans]]
[[Category:Crimes in New Orleans]]
[[Category:2005 murders in the United States]]
[[Category:2005 murders in the United States]]
[[Category:21st century in New Orleans]]
[[Category:2000s in New Orleans]]
[[Category:Law enforcement in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Law enforcement in Louisiana]]
[[Category:September 2005 crimes in the United States]]
[[Category:Police brutality in the 2000s]]
[[Category:Arson in Louisiana]]
[[Category:2005 fires in the United States]]
[[Category:Arson in 2005]]
[[Category:Arson attacks on vehicles in North America]]
[[Category:Environmental racism in the United States]]

Latest revision as of 15:26, 22 October 2024

Shooting of Henry Glover
DateSeptember 2, 2005 (2005-09-02)
LocationNew Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
DeathsHenry Glover
SuspectsDavid Warren
ChargesFederal: 1) Deprivation of rights under color of law, 2) Use of a weapon during commission of a violent crime
VerdictNot guilty

Henry Glover was an African American resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, who was shot to death on September 2, 2005. Glover's charred body was later found in a destroyed Chevrolet Malibu parked on a Mississippi River levee near a police station.[1]

New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) Officer David Warren was indicted and tried on federal charges relating to Glover's death,[2] eventually resulting in an acquittal after a retrial following his initial conviction. Four other NOPD officers were charged in connection with events following Glover's death, including the burning of the body.

Persons involved

[edit]
  • Henry Glover was a 31-year-old African-American resident of the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans.
  • David Warren, a rookie NOPD police officer at the time.
  • Gregory McRae, an NOPD police officer at the time.
  • Robert Italiano, an NOPD police lieutenant at the time.
  • Travis McCabe, an NOPD police lieutenant at the time.
  • Dwayne Scheuermann, an NOPD police lieutenant at the time.

Shooting

[edit]

Henry Glover had endured Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans along with his mother, brother, and sister.[3] On September 2, 2005, Glover had gone to a strip mall to retrieve some suitcases of loot.[4] NOPD Police Officer David Warren was charged with fatally shooting Glover from a second-story balcony, from where Warren had been guarding a detective bureau office.[5] The next day, another civilian is shot and killed by Matthew Macdonald, an African-American from Connecticut, being shot to death for allegedly resisting arrest.[6][7]

[edit]

Officer Warren was charged with a federal civil rights violation, specifically one count of committing manslaughter with a firearm. Officer Gregory McRae was charged with obstructing justice and other charges in relation to burning Glover's body in a 2001 Chevrolet Malibu that belonged to one of Glover's friends. Police Lieutenant Dwayne Scheuermann was charged with assaulting civilians who came to Glover's aid, and obstructing the federal investigation into the burning of Glover's body. Police Lieutenant Travis McCabe was charged with obstructing justice and lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He was also charged with lying to a federal grand jury. Police Lieutenant Robert Italiano was charged with obstructing justice and lying to the FBI. In total, the 11-count indictment accused the five officers for their roles in the fatal shooting of Glover, the assaulting of Glover's brother and one of his neighbors, and attempting to conceal their actions, through activities such as the attempted cremation of Glover's corpse. Glover's death was highlighted as an example of police misconduct in the direct aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.[8][5][3]

Prosecutors alleged[5][3] that Warren had fatally shot Glover in the chest with a .223 rifle near an Algiers strip mall. Glover's brother, Edward King, and sister, Patrice Glover, came to Glover's aid. A neighbor of Glover named William Tanner drove Glover and his brother to seek medical attention at a nearby school, Habans Elementary School, which had been commandeered by a SWAT team of officers. Several SWAT officers testified in trial that Tanner actually fled from a marked police car near the school. It was only after several other police cars joined in the chase that he stopped on the Mercedes Street side of the school. Neither of the two men knew how Glover had been injured. SWAT officers at the school immediately placed Tanner and King into handcuffs, and then allegedly beat them. The jury acquitted the officers on this charge. Testimony in trial also alleged that an African American officer also struck one of the detained men, but little effort was put into finding that officer. While it was alleged by William Tanner in numerous media interviews that the SWAT officers let Henry Glover bleed to death in the car, the trial testimony of Lt. Scheuermann proved that in fact he had checked Glover's body for any signs of life and in fact he was already deceased. This proof was in the form of photographs provided to the defense in discovery. NOPD officer Gregory McRae set fire to Glover’s body as it sat inside Tanner’s 2001 Chevrolet Malibu. The car was left parked on a Mississippi River levee down the street from a NOPD office. Istvan Balogh, a former law enforcement officer who had come in from out of state, discovered Glover's corpse on September 9. He admitted in trial that he video taped the burned car with Glover's remains and has since sold copies of the video tape.

On March 31, 2011, Judge Lance Africk sentenced David Warren to 25 years and 9 months in federal prison on a federal civil rights violation of committing manslaughter with a firearm. Judge Africk sentenced Gregory McRae to 17 years and 3 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release on obstruction of justice and another civil rights charge.[9][10] "Henry Glover was not at the strip mall to commit suicide. He was there to retrieve some baby clothing. You killed a man. Despite your tendentious arguments to the contrary, it was no mistake," Africk told Warren.[10] However, on December 17, 2012, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated Warren's conviction and one of the convictions related to McRae, ordering new trials on those charges. The three-judge panel found, among other concerns, that the trials of the two men should have been conducted separately. Warren was acquitted in 2013.[11][12][13]

In 2014, McRae was resentenced to 17 years and three months in prison. "You did not merely burn a corpse, you, a law enforcement officer, burned a corpse to obstruct justice," Judge Africk said. He said the acquittal of Warren was irrelevant to McRae's own crimes.[14]

In 2015, McRae was granted a resentencing hearing after his obstruction of justice conviction was overturned entirely.[15] In 2016, Africk reduced McRae's sentence to 11 years and nine months, which was within the federal guidelines. However, he rejected calls for a greater reduction on the grounds that McRae was mentally disturbed at the time of the crime, stating that a long prison sentence was still warranted due to the severity of the crime. "The facts behind your conviction deal with much more than the burning of an automobile," he said. "By hiding behind a blue wall of silence, you were hiding the truth." McRae was released from prison on April 2, 2021.[16]

The Glover case was incorporated into the plot of the television series Treme.[17] The defendants cited local media coverage along with the portrayal in Treme when they sought a change of venue for the re-trial.[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Law and Disorder – The Killing of Henry Glover: Who Else Knew? - ProPublica". 2010-11-04. Archived from the original on 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
  2. ^ "Law and Disorder – The Killing of Henry Glover: Who Else Knew? - ProPublica". 2010-11-04. Archived from the original on 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  3. ^ a b c "Law & Disorder - Transcript". PBS Frontline. August 25, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
  4. ^ "Henry Glover jury finds 3 officers guilty in death, burning of Algiers man". NOLA.com. 10 December 2010. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Thompson, A.C. (April 11, 2010). "The Killing of Henry Glover: Who Else Knew?". ProPublica. Archived from the original on November 4, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
  6. ^ "NOLA Case Two". Pro Publica. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  7. ^ "New Orleans Police Shot Man, Told Family Otherwise". Pro Publica. Retrieved 2023-03-20.
  8. ^ "Post-Katrina police killing goes to trial". UPI.com. November 8, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
  9. ^ Robertson, Campbell (March 31, 2011). "2 Former Officers Sentenced in Post-Katrina Killing". The New York Times.
  10. ^ a b Kunzelman, Michael (March 31, 2011). "Ex-cops go to prison in post-Katrina killing". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024.
  11. ^ "Convictions tossed in Henry Glover case". WDSU TV. Dec 17, 2012. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  12. ^ Times-Picayune, NOLA com | The (12 December 2013). "Jury acquits David Warren, ex-cop who shot Henry Glover after Katrina". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
  13. ^ "Jury finds David Warren not guilty in Katrina shooting re-trial". WGNO TV. Dec 11, 2013.
  14. ^ Simerman, John (18 August 2014). "Federal judge keeps 17-year sentence for officer who burned body". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
  15. ^ Times-Picayune, Andy Grimm, NOLA com | (29 July 2015). "Appeals court orders resentencing for NOPD officer who burned Henry Glover's body". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2022-05-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ SIMERMAN, JOHN (5 February 2016). "Judge reduces ex-NOPD officer's sentence in post-Katrina burning of Henry Glover's body". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
  17. ^ a b Vargas, Ramon Antonio (11 February 2013). "Henry Glover case defendants seek change of venue for federal retrials". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved 15 August 2014.