Saturday, July 13, 2013

JP Murder Rate Up In First Half of 2013; Sheriff Normand Says It’s Mostly “Relational”

New crime statistics for the first half of 2013 show that murders in Jefferson Parish increased by 66% compared to 2012.

Thus far in 2013 there have been 20 murders in unincorporated Jefferson Parish compared with 12 last year.
Speaking to WWL-TV, Sheriff Newell Normand said that 14 of the 20 murders were “relational”.

"The victim and the suspect know each other," Normand said.
I don’t know if that is supposed to comfort us or why Sheriff Normand would try to deflect the message.

I am surprised though that our allegedly full-time Sheriff who is also Chairman of a Hospital Board while promoting the removal of voting rights for Jefferson Parish residents; is the Director of another Corporation and a Non-Profit; pushed through  the massive rezoning of Fat City trampling on the rights of individuals and property owners and leaving hundreds unemployed; and who is now floating the idea of becoming Governor (when does he find time to sleep?), tried to downplay Jefferson Parish’s increased murder rate while discussing JP’s lower overall crime rate, down 3.5%.
"We are encouraged, but I don't like the fact that people are solving conflicts by killing one another," said Sheriff Normand.

Yeah, me neither Sheriff Normand. Me neither.
What is most alarming and that was not mentioned by WWL-TV is the fact that more JP murders traditionally occur in the 2nd half of the year. Not an encouraging thought for JP residents.

But, since it’s mostly “relational” according to Normand, it might be best to spend the next few months in a cocoon or pretend you’re a groundhog.
By the way, how’s that whole Fat City redevelopment coming along Sheriff?