Fellow officers show support for 'Danziger 7'

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NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- Seven policemen will be arraigned later this week after surrendering on charges related to the shooting deaths of two men in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Some 250 of their fellow officers gathered in a show of solidarity as the men surrendered Tuesday to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Department, embracing them and chanting: "Heroes, heroes."

The men are accused of shooting and killing two people and wounding four others while responding to reports on September 4, 2005, that rescue workers had heard gunfire and that officers had been wounded on the Danziger Bridge over the Industrial Canal. (Watch the scene as the police surrender )

Four of the "Danziger 7" are charged with first-degree murder and three with attempted murder for the killings of Ronald Madison, 40, and James Brissette, 19.

Autopsy results showed that Madison, a mentally ill man who had no criminal record, was shot seven times -- five times in the back. No weapon was found on or near his body.

Despite Tuesday's show of support, no New Orleans officers would speak publicly about the matter.

But Officer Billy Mimms of nearby City Park Police said he had no qualms about speaking up. "I'm glad to support these officers because it could happen to us," he said. "It could happen to me."

"It's a serious injustice," Sgt. Henry Kuhn of the suburban Harahan Police Department told The Associated Press.

The men are scheduled to be arraigned on Friday. If convicted, those charged with first-degree murder could face a death sentence.

Defense attorney Frank DeSalvo called the case "a political prosecution."

"They're indicting these officers because a DA needs to make some headlines," he said.

Other protesters contended the cops are cold-blooded killers.

Both shooting victims were black, and some, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, say race is an issue in the case. But attorneys for the defendants reject that assertion.

"Four of the seven officers are black. Either Rev. Sharpton can't count, or he can't see color," DeSalvo said.

An attorney representing Madison's brother, Lance, also says race is not a factor and urged "outside influences" to stay out of the case.

A civil suit filed by Madison's brother, who was arrested and held for 26 days, is pending against the city and the officers.

Accounts vary

A grand jury indicted the officers last week.

"We cannot allow our police officers to shoot and kill our citizens without justification like rabid dogs," District Attorney Eddie Jordan said.

Police tell a different story, and defense attorneys say their clients are innocent. Police Superintendent Warren Riley called Jordan's comment "highly prejudicial and highly undignified."

"They heard only one side of the story," attorney Franz Zibilich, who represents one of the officers, said of the grand jury.

As with many events in the days after Katrina struck, reports of what happened at the Danziger Bridge vary widely. At the time, the sweltering city was still littered with corpses as rescuers tried to evacuate stranded residents and looters ransacked stores. The storm had hit just six days earlier.

Police initially said the shootings occurred after shots were fired at Army Corps of Engineers workers.

According to a police report, several officers responded to a radio call that two fellow officers had been hurt. When they arrived, they saw seven people running, and four people began firing at police, the report said. The officers returned fire, killing Madison and Brissette.

One officer fired at Madison only after Madison turned toward them and reached into his waistband, officers have said.

Lance Madison has said they were crossing the bridge on their way to another brother's dental office when a group of teens ran up behind them and began shooting. As the brothers fled, Lance Madison said, seven men jumped out of a rental truck and also began firing at them.

Lance Madison was accused of shooting at the police officers in the gun battle. Police alleged Lance Madison had tossed a gun into the canal, but he says neither he nor his brother was armed.

"We were just trying to get rescued," he has told CNN.

Charged with first-degree murder were police Sgts. Kenneth Bowen and Robert Gisevius; officer Anthony Villavaso; and former officer Robert Faulcon. Officers Robert Barrios, Mike Hunter and Ignatius Hills were charged with attempted murder.

State District Judge Raymond Bigelow originally set a 24-hour deadline for the officers to surrender, but on Friday, he agreed to extend the deadline until Tuesday morning, said DeSalvo.

The indictments further scars the reputation of the city's police department. More than 200 officers on the 1,500-member force were disciplined after the hurricane for various offenses, including failure to show up for work, and some were accused of joining in the looting.

CNN's Sean Callebs contributed to this report.

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