New Orleans Hurricane Katrina Mayor Gets 10 Years in Prison
Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for bribery, money laundering, fraud and tax violations, stemming from his two terms in office.
Nagin, 58, was an outspoken critic of the 2005 federal response to Hurricane Katrina.
More than 1,800 people died during the natural disaster, and adjusted for inflation, the total costs and damages came to around $150 billion.
He castigated the Bush administration for its handling of the situation, winning him many fans in the desperate city.
“He really appeared on the horizon as something that was new and fresh,” longtime civil rights attorney Mary Howell said.
“I think it would be fair to say, almost across the board, that for many people he was, his administration turned out to be a deep disappointment – and then a disaster,” she added.
Nagin is scheduled to report to prison Sept. 8.
