As posted here previously, seven New Orleans police officers are facing murder charges for killings that occured on a bridge in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. One of the victims was 40-year-old Ronald Madison, a retarded man who was crossing the bridge that day.

These officers have been indicted and, today, three of them will learn if the prosecutor will seek the death penalty against them.

Sgts. Kenneth Bowen and Robert Gisevius Jr., Officer Anthony Villavaso II, and former officer Robert Faulcon Jr. face first-degree murder charges and attempted murder charges in the Sept. 4, 2005, shootings on the Danziger Bridge that killed two men and wounded four other people.

Two other officers — Robert Barrios and Mike Hunter Jr. — were charged with attempted first-degree murder, and Officer Ignatius Hills was charged with attempted second-degree murder.

However, there is a detail that is most puzzling. Though indicted and facing charges ranging from attempted second-degree murder to first-degree murder, 6 of the officers where allowed to return to work, where they were assigned low-level duties. While not on the street or allowed to carry weapons, they will still collect paychecks.

Ronald Madison’s brother, Rommell, is asking that Mayor Ray Nagin overturn the police superintendent’s decision to let these men go back to their jobs, calling it “a slap in the face.”

I, for one, agree with Madison. To be on a city’s payroll while facing murder charges associated with the job you’re doing should have sent up red flags to police officials and city leaders. I hope Ray Nagin does the right thing and pushes to have these officers suspended without pay, pending the outcome of this trial.

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