Anti-gun former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, who presided over the illegal confiscation of hundreds of firearms in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that brought legal action from the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation, has been indicted on 21 federal charges of corruption.
What has become known as “The Great New Orleans Gun Grab” began in the days after the Crescent City was hammered by the hurricane in the summer of 2005. That action brought about a landmark lawsuit by SAF and National Rifle Association.
News of his indictment by a grand jury Friday quickly spread across the news wires. He is the first New Orleans mayor to ever face federal indictment.
Nagin became known for his outburst on live radio demanding relief after the storm, yet in the weeks and months afterward, it was his own competence as the city’s chief elected official that was often called into question. The lawsuit by SAF and NRA was marked by delays and denials that firearms had been confiscated by New Orleans police and visiting police from other agencies, along with National Guard troops who were all brought in to help restore order.
Nagin also became infamous for his racially-tinged remarks after the storm that New Orleans would be a “chocolate city.” He later apologized for the comments.
Nagin, nor former Police Superintendent Eddie Compass, ever accepted responsibility for ordering the confiscation of firearms from hurricane victims. The action was later found to be illegal and unconstitutional, but nearly all of the firearms were damaged beyond repair because they had been carelessly stored in containers where rust and corrosion quickly took hold.
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