Katrina charges thrown out

A judge threw out murder and attempted murder charges yesterday against seven New Orleans police officers accused of gunning down two men on a bridge in the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

In quashing the indictments, District Judge Raymond Bigelow agreed with defence arguments that prosecutors violated state law by divulging secret grand jury testimony to a police officer who was a witness in the case.

Survivors of the September 4, 2005, shootings have said the officers fired at unarmed people crossing the Danziger bridge to get food at a grocery store.

The officers acknowledged shooting at people but said they did so only after taking fire.