Clear & Convincing - Episode 50 - Louisiana v. Antoinette Frank & Rogers Lacaze

On March 4, 1995, New Orleans Police Officer Ronald A. Williams, II, Ha Vu and her younger brother, Cuong Vu were murdered during a robbery of the Kim Anh Restaurant in New Orleans East.  Also at the restaurant that night were Chau, Quoc and Vui Vu, who were able to hide in the restaurant’s walk-in cooler and summon help once the perpetrators left the restaurant.  The robbery and murders were an inside job, carried out by a troubled NOPD Officer named Antoinette Frank and her 18-year old boyfriend, Rogers Lacaze.  Frank dropped Lacaze off at a nearby apartment, then went to the 7th District station, picked up a patrol car and returned to the scene with the intent to find and eliminate any witnesses.  As Frank entered the restaurant, Chau rushed out the front door where additional responding officers were gathered.  Frank’s charade as an additional responding officer was quickly exposed and she was arrested.  We’ll talk about the evidence against Frank and Lacaze, their trials, appeals and post-conviction claims and the controversy surrounding the suspected murder weapon, a 9 m.m. pistol Frank obtained from the NOPD evidence room.