Three New Orleans residents are facing up to 15 years in prison for stealing liquor during the Katrina disaster.

Coralnelle Little, 36, Rhonda McGowan, 42, and Paul Pearson, 36, had been scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Hans Liljeberg of the 24th Judicial District Court on Monday.
In Jefferson Parish’s first post-Katrina looting jury trial, the three were convicted on May 2 of looting 27 bottles of wine and liquor, six cases of beer and a case of wine coolers Sept. 4 from the Sav-a-Center at 3711 Power Blvd.

However, their attorneys today asked for a new trial on the ground that the state’s newly amended looting law is unconstitutional. The trio was convicted under a part of the state’s looting statute that took effect two weeks before Hurricane Katrina hit Aug. 29. The statute carries a minimum sentence of three years to a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Even if they are given the minimum sentence, three years seems absurd given the context in which the crime occurred. I don’t necessarily condone looting, but I find it problematic that the victims of Katrina are being sternly punished while the government authorities whose indifference, ignorance, and incompetence exacerbated the tragedy are untouched.