Telly Hankton committed 'Central City massacre', feds say
Feds: Telly Hankton, not Michael Anderson, committed 'Central City massacre'
In a case almost ten years old, a new federal indictment names Telly Hankton, not Michael Anderson, in a shooting that killed five people in Central City.
Monday the mother and cousin of one of the most notorious crimelords in New Orleans history pleaded guilty in federal court, in a case involving a deadly drug ring that operated for decades. Telly Hankton's mother Shirley and his cousin Thomas pleaded guilty to racketeering. Thomas also admitted to trying to kill a witness to keep him from testifying against Hankton in a state murder trial.
The pleas comes on the heels of a new development out of the U.S Attorney's office over the weekend: that it was Telly Hankton, not Michael Anderson who gunned down five teens in the 2006 Central City massacre.
"The wound has been reopened,” said Mona Lisa Hunter, a mother of one of the teens gunned down. “I went through this already--he wasn't the right person. I don't trust the system. Why is all of this is coming to light now, ten years later after my sons were killed?"
The slain were Marquise Hunter, 19; his brother, Arsenio "Lil Man" Hunter, 16; Warren "Luv" Simeon, 17; Iraum Taylor, 19; and Reggie "Putty" Dantzler, 19.
Already serving a life sentence in Oklahoma for murder, Telly Hankton is awaiting trial on federal charges for three separate killings. Hankton has also been convicted of second-degree murder in the execution-style killing of Darnell Stewert in 2008 on S. Claiborne Ave. The shooting of a witness who survived 17 shots to testify against Hankton, followed by the murder of that witness’ brother days after Hankton receiving a life sentence in 2011 solidified his violent reputation.
For years many also suspected Hankton was behind the murder of five teenagers on Josephine Street. However, it was Michael Anderson who was ultimately charged. Now, recent court filings by the U.S. Attorney's office had a surprise twist. An Assistant U.S. Attorney said Hankton committed the 2006 mass murder in essence to maintain his role as the leader, principal drug supplier and gunman for his enterprise.
Former FBI special agent in charge, Jim Bernazzani, worked on a violent crime task force at the time.
"This is an aberration,” he said. “There’s no question it needs to be looked at. There should be a hot wash afterwards to find out how we got here in the first place.”
It's a controversial case that's lasted through three U.S. Attorneys.
"You could see how this could happen,” said WWL legal analyst Chick Foret.
“It's a perfect storm. You have a lack of witnesses. You have a lack of law enforcement. You have a lack of resources after Katrina."
After a mistrial, Anderson finally cut a deal in state court in 2011 and was sentenced to 80 years pleading no contest to a crime his family says he never did commit.
"I know my son didn't do it," said Anderson’s mother in 2011.
Despite these new revelations, Anderson's state conviction will not be thrown out and he will remain in a federal jail serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to running a drug ring and other crimes. Now legal experts wonder if this new evidence will be introduced when Hankton's federal trial gets underway next month.
"This is all going to be very confusing to the jury,” said Foret. “The jury is going to ask the logical question, ‘Wait a minute, you're giving me evidence that Telly Hankton committed this murders and murders for which someone else was convicted?’"
After all of this, both men are still in jail and Mona Lisa Hunter's heart is still broken. She hopes to celebrate the teen's life in a ceremony this June on the anniversary of their murders.
The U.S. Attorney’s office is under a gag order on this case.
30 сен 2023
