Len Davis

{{Infobox criminal

| name = Len Davis

| image_name =

| image_size =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|8|6}}

| death_date =

| death_place =

| conviction = Deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in death (18 U.S.C. § 242)
Conspiracy to deprive rights (18 U.S.C. § 241)
Conspiracy to distribute cocaine (21 U.S.C. § 841 and 846)

Use of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime (18 U.S.C. § 924)

| conviction_penalty = Death; commuted to life imprisonment

| conviction_status = Incarcerated

| occupation = Former police officer, New Orleans Police Department

| spouse =

| parents =

| children =

| imprisoned = USP Terre Haute

| apprehended = 1994

}}

Len Davis (born August 6, 1964){{cite web|title=Baumgartner Death Sentences 22 Sept 2019|url=https://fbaum.unc.edu/teaching/POLI490H_Fa19/Baumgartner-DeathSentences-22Sept2019.xlsx|access-date=October 7, 2020}} is a former New Orleans police officer.{{cite news|title=Len Davis sentenced to death for murder of Kim Groves|date=April 27, 1996|url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_72b8b9a4-059a-5b2c-8ee5-252c398925d1.html|newspaper=The Times-Picayune|access-date=December 30, 2021}}{{cite news|title=Officer Len Davis, two others, charged in death of Kim Groves|date=December 6, 1994|url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_72b8b9a4-059a-5b2c-8ee5-252c398925d1.html|newspaper=The Times-Picayune|access-date=December 30, 2021}} He was convicted of depriving civil rights through murder by conspiring with an assassin to kill a local resident. He was also convicted on drug trafficking charges.{{cite web |url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-5th-circuit/1527402.html |title=UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. LEN DAVIS |author= |date= |website=FindLaw|publisher= |access-date=October 17, 2018 |quote=}}

Police career

Davis was known in the community as "RoboCop" because of his large size and as the "Desire projects terrorist" due to his aggressive policing style.{{cite book|author=Stacy Dittrich|title=Murder Behind the Badge: True Stories of Cops Who Kill|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FOYB2QAvyIQC&pg=PT339|year=2010|publisher=Prometheus Books, Publishers|isbn=978-1-61614-053-3|pages=339–}} He had been suspended six times and received 20 complaints between 1987 and 1992, while subsequently receiving the department's Medal of Merit in 1993.{{cite web | title=Law & Disorder - Timeline: NOPD's Long History of Scandal | website=FRONTLINE | date=2011-09-15 | url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/law-disorder/etc/cron.html | quote =He was RoboCop to some people, historian Leonard Moore tells FRONTLINE. But then he was, I would say, Officer Friendly to other people | access-date=2018-10-18}}

In 1994, an FBI sting caught Davis enforcing a protection racket upon the city's cocaine dealers.{{cite news | title=IN THE BIG EASY, SCANDAL IN BLUE | date=January 3, 1995 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1995/01/03/in-the-big-easy-scandal-in-blue/624ae685-c68c-4223-8e5a-e2af514fac3c/ | newspaper = Washington Post | quote=This is a city where 40 police officers have been arrested in the last three years on charges ranging from bank robbery to rape, from bribery to auto theft | access-date=October 18, 2018}}{{cite web | title=Len Davis convicted of running cocaine protection racket | website=NOLA.com | date=September 13, 1996 | url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_92776675-0cd6-5cf4-b314-1399d89b55f0.html | access-date=December 30, 2021}} Davis had extorted protection money from a drug dealer who was an FBI informant.{{cite web | title=Len Davis, eight other New Orleans police officers, charged in drug sting | website=NOLA.com | date=December 8, 1994 | url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_e41852b8-2256-550f-a3e0-3ca63fd5e8e2.html | access-date=December 30, 2021}} Nine other police officers, including two who would later testify against Davis, were later indicted for being part of a criminal conspiracy with Davis.{{cite web | author=The Associated Press | title=9 New Orleans Police Officers Are Indicted in U.S. Drug Case | website=The New York Times | date=December 8, 1994 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/08/us/9-new-orleans-police-officers-are-indicted-in-us-drug-case.html | access-date=October 18, 2018}}{{cite web | title=Len Davis convicted of running cocaine protection racket | website=NOLA.com | date=1996-09-14 | url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_92776675-0cd6-5cf4-b314-1399d89b55f0.html | access-date=2019-11-05}} Twenty additional New Orleans police officers were also implicated in the scheme, but the investigation had to be aborted due to the murder of Kim Groves. Davis would later be convicted of additional drug-related charges, while the other officers pleaded guilty.

Murder of Kim Groves

In 1994, Davis beat a young man in New Orleans, mistaking him for a suspect in a police officer's shooting.{{cite web | title=A murder 20 years ago marked low point for NOPD | website=The Advocate | date=October 15, 2014| url=https://www.nola.com/news/article_865c5bcc-bd1d-57c0-bd63-7285730bcee0.html | access-date=December 30, 2021}} Kim Groves, a 32-year-old local resident and mother of three young children, witnessed the assault and filed a complaint with the New Orleans Police Department. Davis was tipped off about the complaint by another officer and then conspired with a local drug dealer, Paul Hardy, to kill Groves.{{cite web | title=Len Davis sentenced to death for murder of Kim Groves | website=NOLA.com | date=1996-04-28 | url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_72b8b9a4-059a-5b2c-8ee5-252c398925d1.html | access-date=2020-10-28}} Hardy shot and killed her on October 14, 1994, less than one day after she filed the complaint. A third man, Damon Causey, hid the murder weapon, a 9 mm pistol.{{cite web | title=Len Davis, triggerman convicted of capital murder in death of Kim Groves | website=NOLA.com | date=1996-04-26 | url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_50ca01a9-9b23-5e73-b45f-50f762d7f7e0.html | access-date=2019-11-01}}

Trial and conviction

Davis was convicted in 1996 on two federal civil rights charges for directing Hardy to murder Groves and for witness tampering. Davis was initially sentenced to death on April 26, 1996. In December 1996, Davis was sentenced to life in prison plus five years for his involvement in a cocaine ring in which other NOPD officers had participated.{{Cite web |title=Shielded from Justice: New Orleans: Incidents |url=https://www.hrw.org/legacy/reports98/police/uspo94.htm |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=www.hrw.org}}

The Fifth Circuit reversed Davis's death sentence when his conviction for witness tampering was thrown out. A subsequent jury also chose a death sentence for Davis, and he was formally sentenced to death again on October 27, 2005.{{cite news|title=Ex-officer convicted for 1994 hit wants federal judge back|date=December 29, 2015|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/ex-officer-convicted-for-1994-hit-wants-federal-judge-back/|newspaper=Seattle Times|access-date=December 30, 2021}}{{cite news|title=Jury Sentences Killer Cop to Death|date=August 9, 2005|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/jury-sentences-killer-cop-to-death|publisher=Fox News|quote=A federal judge will formally impose the sentence later.|access-date=February 14, 2019}}{{cite web | title=FindLaw's United States Fifth Circuit case and opinions. | website=Findlaw | date=March 31, 2016 | url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-5th-circuit/1527402.html|quote=The district court sentenced Davis to death on October 27, 2005.| access-date=February 14, 2019}} Davis is currently imprisoned at the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.{{cite news|title=Murderous ex-cop has no fool for a client: An editorial|date=July 6, 2012|url=https://www.nola.com/opinions/article_4d973b9f-0bc5-5ad8-95d1-64b55e64e2ac.html|newspaper=The Times-Picayune|access-date=December 30, 2021}} In 2025, President Biden offered clemency to Davis and commuted his sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Hardy was convicted of conspiracy to violate Groves' civil rights and of witness tampering.{{cite web | title= Len Davis, Petitioner v. United States of America | website=United States Department of Justice| date=April 19, 2011| url=https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2011/04/19/davisoppcert.pdf | access-date=February 15, 2019}} The witness tampering conviction would be later overturned. He was initially sentenced to death, but in 2011, his sentence was commuted to life when he was found by a judge to be intellectually disabled.{{cite news|title=Hit man who killed Kim Groves in 1994 is sentenced to life in prison|date=December 21, 2011|url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_d92b3b41-5ba4-5743-96cd-fc3f0a858cef.html|newspaper=The Times-Picayune|access-date=December 30, 2021}}

Causey was convicted of federal conspiracy charges and violating Groves' civil rights.{{cite web | title=United States of America, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Damon Causey, Defendant-appellant.united States of America, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Paul Hardy, Also Known As P, Also Known As Cool; and Len Davis, Defendants-appellants, 185 F.3d 407 (5th Cir. 1999) | website=Justia Law | date=January 12, 2019 | url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/185/407/609249/ | access-date=February 15, 2019}} He was sentenced to life imprisonment after rejecting a plea bargain that would have given him six to nine years in prison. His conviction was upheld on appeal.{{cite web | title=UNITED STATES v. CAUSEY | website=Findlaw | date=March 31, 2016 | url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-5th-circuit/1279436.html | access-date=February 15, 2019}}{{update needed|date=February 2024}}

Aftermath and later developments

In 2018, the city of New Orleans settled a lawsuit with Groves' three children in the sum of $1.5 million.{{cite web |url=https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/article_1185dd83-18ba-5742-b0a4-c03c3c2b4c20.html|title= City to pay $1.5M to Kim Groves' children, 24 years after NOPD officer had her killed|last=Lane |first= Emily |date=April 25, 2018 |website=Times-Picayune|access-date=December 30, 2021}}

In October 2022, three men, Bernell Juluke Jr., Leroy Nelson, and Kunta Gable, wrongfully convicted of murder, based on false testimony from Davis, were released after 28 years of incarceration.{{cite web | title=National Registry of Exonerations | website=University of Michigan Law School | date=2025-03-22 | url=https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetail.aspx?caseid=6433 | access-date=2025-03-22}}{{cite web | last=Whitcomb | first=Dan | title=Three Louisiana men freed after 28 years in prison for wrongful murder convictions | website=Reuters | date=2022-10-20 | url=https://www.reuters.com/legal/three-louisiana-men-freed-after-28-years-prison-wrongful-murder-convictions-2022-10-20/ |quote=That agreement also cites the presence at the crime scene of two New Orleans police officers who were later found to have helped cover up murders for drug dealers and to have manipulated evidence in the case.| access-date=2022-12-26}} Davis has been linked to that murder as well.{{cite web | last=Forges | first=Darryl | title=New Orleans wrongfully convicted men crime Len Davis now free | website=WDSU | date=2022-10-26 | url=https://www.wdsu.com/article/new-orleans-wrongful-conviction-overturned-len-davis/41768609 |quote=This comes as all three were found to be wrongly convicted of a murder after new evidence linked the murder to former NOPD officer Len Davis.| access-date=2022-12-26}} In December 2022, another man, Sherman Singleton, who was also convicted based on false testimony from Davis was released from prison after more than 30 years.{{cite web | title=USA TODAY | website=USA TODAY | date=2022-12-22 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/12/22/sherman-singleton-lousiana-freed-life-sentence-len-davis/10913703002/?gnt-cfr=1 |quote= Correspondence and court papers allege Singleton’s arrest was based on false statements from a disgraced former New Orleans cop who is now on federal death row for murder and civil rights violations.| access-date=2022-12-26}}{{cite web | last=DeSantis | first=John Kelly | last2=Courier | first2=The | title=Houma man freed after 32 years in prison for murder advocates say he did not commit | website=The Courier | date=2022-12-14 | url=https://www.houmatoday.com/story/news/local/2022/12/14/houma-man-freed-from-prison-in-murder-advocates-say-he-didnt-commit/69728681007/ | access-date=2022-12-26}}

On December 23, 2024, Davis's federal death sentence was commuted to life without parole after outgoing President Joe Biden granted sentence commutations to 37 of the 40 inmates on federal death row.{{Cite web|url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/23/fact-sheet-president-biden-commutes-the-sentences-of-37-individuals-on-death-row/|title=FACT SHEET: President Biden Commutes the Sentences of 37 Individuals on Death Row|work=White House|date=December 23, 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241223103924/https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/12/23/fact-sheet-president-biden-commutes-the-sentences-of-37-individuals-on-death-row/|archive-date=December 23, 2024}} A week later, Davis filed a motion to block the commutation, because courts examine death penalty cases more closely for errors during appeals.{{cite web |last1=Ortiz |first1=Erik |title=Two death row inmates reject Biden's commutation of their life sentences |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/two-death-row-inmates-reject-bidens-commutation-life-sentences-rcna186235 |website=NBC News |access-date=7 January 2025}}

Len Davis

Police career

Murder of Kim Groves

Trial and conviction

Aftermath and later developments

See also

References

Further reading