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Reserve officer who dined with Will Smith 'removed' from force: NOPD
The retired New Orleans police captain who dined with Will Smith the night the ex-Saints player was shot to death has been "removed" by the department from his reserve duty status "to protect the integrity of the investigation," NOPD spokesman Tyler Gamble said.
Billy Ceravolo was among a group of people who dined with Smith at Sake Cafe on Magazine Street prior to the fatal shooting of Will Smith and wounding of his wife Racquel. Ceravolo, who said after the shooting he was a friend of Will Smith's, was present at the crime scene as police investigated.
Gamble said Ceravolo was removed from service with the reserve division pending the investigation into Will Smith's death. Ceravolo on Monday referred any questions about his removal from the reserve list to NOPD. He said he could not make any personal statements regarding his removal because it would "be a violation of rules and regulations."
Will Smith was shot seven times in the back and once in the chest, and Racquel Smith was shot once in each leg, following a traffic crash around 11:30 p.m. April 9 at Sophie Wright Place and Felicity Street in the Lower Garden District. The shooting happened after Cardell Hayes' orange Hummer H2 struck Will Smith's silver Mercedes-Benz SUV.
Hayes was charged with second-degree murder in the shooting. John Fuller, the attorney representing Hayes, has suggested someone tampered with the crime scene. Fuller did not provide specifics and did not expressly point his finger at Ceravolo. However, Fuller asked in a letter that was entered into the court record April 15 that the department be removed from the investigation. State Police declined to take over the probe.
The letter, a version of which was given to NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson, said the defense has "a grave lack of faith in the honesty and competency" of the NOPD's investigation. The letter cited what Fuller called "factual misstatements from high-ranking" NOPD officials. It did not detail those alleged misstatements.
Fuller has not specifically addressed what he sees as tampering. He said he thought it "odd" the department took three days to search the vehicles of Smith and Hayes. The search revealed a gun in Smith's Mercedes and an additional gun -- other than the one police say Hayes fired -- in Hayes' Hummer.
Gamble has said police sought a warrant rather than searching the cars the night of the shooting because officers' priority was securing the scene, identify and detain suspects and question witnesses and help the injured. Legal experts have said it might not have been technically necessary to obtain a warrant, but it was a prudent move given the high profile of the case.
Reserve officers perform police duties on a volunteer basis but have the same authority as a full-time officer. Gamble said reserve officers must volunteer a minimum of 24 hours a month. To become eligible to work paid off-duty details, reserves must volunteer at least 36 hours a month.
The chief removed Ceravolo from the reserve list, Gamble said, "out of an abundance of caution" in response to questions that have been raised about his involvement in the investigation.
The retired New Orleans police captain who dined with Will Smith the night the ex-Saints player was shot to death has been "removed" by the department from his reserve duty status "to protect the integrity of the investigation," NOPD spokesman Tyler Gamble said.
Billy Ceravolo was among a group of people who dined with Smith at Sake Cafe on Magazine Street prior to the fatal shooting of Will Smith and wounding of his wife Racquel. Ceravolo, who said after the shooting he was a friend of Will Smith's, was present at the crime scene as police investigated.
Gamble said Ceravolo was removed from service with the reserve division pending the investigation into Will Smith's death. Ceravolo on Monday referred any questions about his removal from the reserve list to NOPD. He said he could not make any personal statements regarding his removal because it would "be a violation of rules and regulations."
Will Smith was shot seven times in the back and once in the chest, and Racquel Smith was shot once in each leg, following a traffic crash around 11:30 p.m. April 9 at Sophie Wright Place and Felicity Street in the Lower Garden District. The shooting happened after Cardell Hayes' orange Hummer H2 struck Will Smith's silver Mercedes-Benz SUV.
Hayes was charged with second-degree murder in the shooting. John Fuller, the attorney representing Hayes, has suggested someone tampered with the crime scene. Fuller did not provide specifics and did not expressly point his finger at Ceravolo. However, Fuller asked in a letter that was entered into the court record April 15 that the department be removed from the investigation. State Police declined to take over the probe.
The letter, a version of which was given to NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson, said the defense has "a grave lack of faith in the honesty and competency" of the NOPD's investigation. The letter cited what Fuller called "factual misstatements from high-ranking" NOPD officials. It did not detail those alleged misstatements.
Fuller has not specifically addressed what he sees as tampering. He said he thought it "odd" the department took three days to search the vehicles of Smith and Hayes. The search revealed a gun in Smith's Mercedes and an additional gun -- other than the one police say Hayes fired -- in Hayes' Hummer.
Gamble has said police sought a warrant rather than searching the cars the night of the shooting because officers' priority was securing the scene, identify and detain suspects and question witnesses and help the injured. Legal experts have said it might not have been technically necessary to obtain a warrant, but it was a prudent move given the high profile of the case.
Reserve officers perform police duties on a volunteer basis but have the same authority as a full-time officer. Gamble said reserve officers must volunteer a minimum of 24 hours a month. To become eligible to work paid off-duty details, reserves must volunteer at least 36 hours a month.
The chief removed Ceravolo from the reserve list, Gamble said, "out of an abundance of caution" in response to questions that have been raised about his involvement in the investigation.
Yeah, doubt this happened in the 2 seconds it took for him to drive off
You have an alive victim, multiple witnesses who were traveling with the victim, and a suspect who has already charged in the murder of her husband. Correct me if i'm wrong, but he was charged in Will's case a day after the shooting, no? 
, but then again im sure he would have posted bail too 
