Judge gives 3 people who stole alcohol during Hurricane Katrina 15 years in prison

**Terminator** · 07-01-06, 02:47 PM

KENNER, La. -- Three people convicted of hauling away liquor, wine and beer from a grocery store after Hurricane Katrina were sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison.

The judge said he wanted to send a message that looting would not be tolerated when he gave the maximum sentence to Coralnelle Little, 36, Rhonda McGowen, 42, and Paul C. Pearson, 36, all of Kenner.

A jury convicted the trio May 2 on a portion of the state's looting law that took effect two weeks before the Aug. 29 storm. The amended law set a three-year minimum sentence, and a maximum of 15 years in prison, for looting during a declared state of emergency.

They were convicted of attempting to leave the grocery with 27 bottles of liquor and wine, six cases of beer and one case of wine coolers, six days after Katrina made landfall.

Little, McGowen and Pearson each testified that they were not looting, but they offered conflicting accounts of matters such as who drove to the store.

Pearson's attorney, Bruce Netterville, said the sentence and conviction would be appealed.

"We believe the sentence is excessive," said Netterville. Attorneys for the other defendants agreed.

Do you think this is excessive? Was it ok for the Judge to "send a message?"

**jmur5074** · 07-01-06, 03:49 PM

Either way, I dont' really care. That whole place down there was such a cluster when the hurricane, looting, and clean was going on (and is still going on).

I say throw the book at all of them.

**Piggybank Cop** · 07-01-06, 04:39 PM

They could have been shot.

**TXCharlie** · 07-01-06, 05:53 PM

Hopefully it wasn't this guy... Time for a well-earned Bud

Depends on the circumstances & why they looted it - Beer & wine may have been the only drinkable stuff around. Also depends on whether they stole supplies from someone else who needed them, or just an abandonded store.

Having said that, I can remember when I was a kid riding thru Betsy in Louisiana, I heard that looters would be shot on sight.

**Andrewtx** · 07-01-06, 06:10 PM

www.looterdude.com

**TheOldRhino** · 07-02-06, 02:21 AM

Anyone know what happened to those female officers the media caught looting?

Cheech · 07-04-06, 03:32 PM

Dood, 15 years. Cmon, I can beat the shit out of someone and injure them badly and get less! its not like a robbery. Thats way too excessive and out of hand. Im sorry i think this judge is a little too harsh on them. Fawk after all my shit was destroyed by flooding including my city I think i would be getting drunk too!

Cheech · 07-04-06, 03:39 PM

Also cant this go under "cruel and unusual punishment" seems very unusual to me!

**TXCharlie** · 07-04-06, 09:12 PM

Haaahaaa - This is #50 in LooterDude's gallery
http://www.looterdude.com/

I still say it makes a big difference whether the owner of the store was present or not - If he was present then they were stealing the owner's potentially life-sustaining supplies.