Ex-Policeman Found Guilty in Murder Plot

NEW ORLEANS —  A former New Orleans police officer has been convicted of arranging the murder of a woman who had accused him of pistol-whipping a teenager, and jurors on Thursday began deliberating whether he should be sentenced to death.

Kim Groves, a 32-year-old mother of three, was gunned down in front of her house in October 1994, the day after filing the complaint against Officer Len Davis.

An FBI wiretap of Davis’ cellular telephone, set up during a police corruption investigation, captured the officer joyously celebrating Groves’ death, shouting and singing, “Yeah! Yeah! Yeah, yeah, yeah. Rock, rock-a-bye!”

Davis and triggerman Paul Hardy were convicted Wednesday of conspiracy, civil rights violations and the premeditated killing of a federal witness. Prosecutors said Hardy killed her on orders from Davis. Hardy also could be sentenced to death.

A third defendant, Damon Causey, was convicted of conspiracy and civil rights violations for being at the murder scene and hiding the 9-millimeter pistol used in the slaying. He could get life in prison.

The killing, which happened the day reform-minded Richard Pennington took over the 1,500-strong force, became a symbol of corruption in the New Orleans Police Department. The FBI says the murder case halted a drug investigation with at least 20 other officers under suspicion.

In August, former police officer Antoinette Frank was sentenced to death for killing her partner and two other people during a restaurant robbery.