Concern Over Crime in New Orleans
The daughter of a woman fatally injured during a carjacking in New Orleans back in 2018 is expressing frustration over the city’s continuing lack of seriousness regarding violent crime. This comes as the federal government plans to send agents to the area.
Jeannot Plessy, 49, lost her life in November 2018 when two men attempted to carjack her while she was picking up her children. Jontrell Robinson, aged 18, and 19-year-old Edwin Cottrell later admitted guilt to manslaughter, which allowed them to sidestep a more severe second-degree murder trial.
Robinson received a 30-year sentence, while Cottrell was sentenced to 12 years. During the incident, Robinson drove off with Plessy still in the vehicle; he eventually hit her, resulting in her death. Both young men pleaded guilty to further charges, including attempted second-degree murder and robbery.
As federal immigration agents prepare to roll into New Orleans as part of Operation Swamp Sweep, which seeks to tackle local crime, Plessy’s daughter, Nadia Sanchez, voiced her concerns about how the city tracks violent incidents. She feels the local government has been too focused on tourism rather than addressing the worries of residents.
Sanchez remarked, “I don’t think much has changed in the way the city deals with crime.” She added that the focus remains lacking on victims and their experiences, emphasizing that it’s the residents who face the repercussions daily. Until her mother’s tragic death, Sanchez said she never felt unsafe in her neighborhood.
“I took my daughter to the playground every day after school,” she recalled, noting that the sense of insecurity only emerged after the incident. While she’s uncertain whether federal oversight will truly resolve the underlying issues, she believes New Orleans city officials should place more emphasis on public safety.
Operation Swamp Sweep is set to commence in early December, seeking to apprehend around 5,000 individuals across southeastern Louisiana and Mississippi. Republican Governor Jeff Landry commented that state officials are collaborating with federal authorities to address the intertwining issues of immigration and crime, highlighting ongoing concerns about violent offenses linked to illegal activities in New Orleans.
