Court papers: Witness ID'd man in playground shooting

Headline Legal News

A witness's statement and photo identification led to the arrest of a man accused in a playground shootout that wounded 17 people, court papers show.

Joseph "Moe" Allen, 32, faces 17 counts of attempted murder in the Nov. 22 gunfight at Bunny Friend Playground after a neighborhood parade. He's being held in lieu of $1.7 million bond on those charges, and without bond on a Texas warrant accusing him of violating probation.

Defense attorney Kevin Boshea did not immediately return a call and email Monday. Allen's mother, Deborah Allen, told NOLA.com ' The Times-Picayune Sunday night that her son was in Texas the night of the gunfight. Calls to her home on Monday got repeated busy signals.

Police are still trying to identify other people involved in the shooting. Allen's arrest was based on a witness who gave the "name and nickname of one of the many shooters ... in this mass shooting," and then identified Allen in a "six-pack photographic lineup" at the local police station, New Orleans police Detective Chad Cockerham said in a sworn statement.

Allen "was observed walking into Bunny Friend Playground and firing a semi-automatic handgun into the crowd," Cockerham said.

Cockerham described hearing a "barrage of gunfire erupt" at Bunny Friend Playground as police headed there to break up an "unauthorized party."

"They were met with chaos and panic of citizens running in numerous directions across the park as well as throughout the surrounding streets," he wrote, adding that "tires ... were spinning and screeching."

For Allen, the Texas warrant was issued Nov. 25, based on the New Orleans allegations, since travel outside of Texas would violate Allen's parole, said Jason Clark, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Related listings

  • Snowboarders fight ban at Utah resort in appeals court

    Snowboarders fight ban at Utah resort in appeals court

    Headline Legal News 11/17/2015

    A group of snowboarders who argue a ban on their sport at Utah's Alta Ski Area amounts to discrimination are set to present their case Tuesday to a federal appeals court in Denver. The lawsuit, filed in early 2014, brought renewed attention to the lo...

  • Romania's outgoing PM appears at court for corruption trial

    Romania's outgoing PM appears at court for corruption trial

    Headline Legal News 11/04/2015

    Romania's outgoing prime minister has appeared at the high court where he's on trial for tax evasion, money-laundering, conflict of interest and making false statements. Victor Ponta arrived at the High Court for Cassation and Justice Friday, declini...

  • Court records: Ohio man on electronic monitor raped teen

    Court records: Ohio man on electronic monitor raped teen

    Headline Legal News 10/16/2015

    While an Ohio man was on electronic monitoring in an abduction case, he had a 14-year-old girl dropped off at his home by taxi, held her captive for months and raped her, according to criminal charges and court records.   Cody Lee Jackson, 20, f...

Business News