The wheels of justice

They may turn slowly but they do turn. From the New York Times:

5 Ex-Officers Sentenced in Post-Katrina Shootings
Five former police officers were sentenced to lengthy prison terms in federal court on Wednesday for the shootings of six unarmed civilians, two of whom died, in the days after Hurricane Katrina, and for orchestrating a wide-ranging cover-up afterward.

A bit more - details about what happened and the cover-up:

On Sept. 4, 2005, as much of New Orleans still lay submerged in floodwaters, Kenneth Bowen and Robert Gisevius, then sergeants, and Anthony Villavaso and Robert Faulcon, then officers, jumped in a Budget rental truck and raced with other officers to the Danziger Bridge in eastern New Orleans, responding to a distress call on the police radio.

As soon as they arrived, witnesses at the trial said, they began firing on members of the Bartholomew family, who were trying to find a grocery store. A 17-year-old family friend named James Brisette was killed, and four others were severely wounded.

The police then began to chase two brothers, Lance and Ronald Madison, who was 40 years old and mentally disabled, who were trying to get to the other side of the bridge. Ronald Madison was shot in the back by Officer Faulcon and then stomped on by Sergeant Bowen as he lay dying.

The four who were involved in the actual shooting came into the sentencing hearing on Wednesday facing a minimum of 35 years because of mandatory sentencing guidelines. Former Officer Faulcon was facing at least 65 years.

A cover-up began immediately and eventually grew to include made-up witnesses and a planted handgun. Sgt. Arthur Kaufman, a veteran investigator, was charged with overseeing much of the cover-up. He came into court on Wednesday without a mandatory minimum.

Hate to think of the reception these people are going to receive in prison. Justice is served. I am really annoyed that so many people are jumping on the "social justice" bandwagon with the George Zimmerman / Trayvon Martin case -- the publicity ignores some damning facts about Trayvon and people like Sharpton and Jackson are using the tragedy of the Martin family to regain some measure of their 1960's glory. Have they no shame. Justice will be served here too -- it just takes time...