Inclusion Daily Express -- Grand Jury To Investigate Post-Katrina Police Shooting

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Grand Jury To Investigate Post-Katrina Police Shooting
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
May 30, 2006

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA--A grand jury will gather soon to determine whether homicide charges are to be filed against police officers who allegedly shot to death an unarmed man six days after Hurricane Katrina.

CNN reported last week that an independent review of autopsy results on the body of Ronald Madison found that the 40-year-old man, who had intellectual disabilities, died after being shot in the back five times.

The review, made by New York pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, contradicted reports by New Orleans police that Madison was shot when he reached into the waistband of his pants then turned toward an officer.

Madison was one of two people shot during the incident which occurred on a bridge over a flooded canal on September 4.

Madison's older brother, Lance, told CNN that they were walking on the bridge when a group of teenagers ran up from behind them and opened fire. The brothers started running toward the top of the bridge when officers began firing on them, killing Ronald at the scene.

CNN got official access to the autopsy report only after suing New Orleans coroner Dr. Frank Minyard.

Assistant District Attorney Dustin Davis said that a grand jury has been assigned to investigate the shootings, but that it had not yet met to start the investigation because the police department has not yet finished its own report on the case.

Madison, who lived with his mother, had no criminal record.

No gun was found on or near his body when he died.

Related:
"Katrina autopsy: Police shot mentally disabled man in back" (CNN)
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/05/22/katrina.shotinback/index.html
"People With Disabilities Among Hardest Hit By Hurricanes Katrina & Rita" (Inclusion Daily Express Archives)
http://www.inclusiondaily.com/news/05/katrina.htm

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