In the city of New Orleans, on February 20, 2011, a 39-year-old African American man named Littlejohn 'June' Haynes tragically lost his life. His death was the result of gun violence, a harsh reality of the ongoing gang conflicts that plagued the city. Haynes was a father of two children, Tirrany and Johnell Jones, and was survived by his mother and five siblings.
The incident that claimed his life was not a random act but was rooted in the violent activities of a local gang.
The investigation into Haynes's murder brought together the resources of the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Gang Task Force, the New Orleans Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. Their collaborative efforts uncovered that Haynes's death was connected to the 39ers gang, a group responsible for a string of violence in the area. The investigation was part of a larger effort to dismantle the violent street gangs operating in New Orleans.
Justice for Littlejohn Haynes came in the form of the arrest and conviction of Curtis Neville, a known member of the 39ers gang. Neville was found guilty of murder in aid of racketeering and causing death through the use of a firearm. For his role in the death of Haynes, Neville received a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. The conviction was a significant step in holding the perpetrators of gang-related violence accountable and seeking justice for the victims and their families. The broader prosecution of the 39ers gang aimed to quell the tide of violence that had impacted so many lives in the community.
