The message seems to be that if you steal $1.3 million from the city of New Orleans’ Library Foundation, then you will be treated more like royalty than a criminal.
Disgraced New Orleans jazz trumpeter Irvin Mayfield and his partner, Ronald Markham, pleaded guilty to stealing the money to pad their 6-figure salaries and to lead lavish lives with expensive hotel suites and outrageous dining experiences. They admitted they stole the money.
From the beginning of this sad saga of a jazz hero’s fall from grace, Irvin Mayfield has appeared to receive special consideration. Once declared New Orleans Ambassador to Jazz, Mayfield had the luxury of having his trial and sentencing delayed several times, essentially granting Mayfield more freedom.
Mayfield was scheduled to report to prison in Pensacola, FL on Wednesday of this week, but he has been granted an extra week of freedom and will report next Wednesday. Well, let’s see if he really reports to prison.
The extra freedom granted Mayfield is a small part of a larger picture of a man who admitted to stealing over $1 million dollars from the library foundation’s fund receiving special treatment because of his celebrity status.
In early June, at a sold-out appearance at the Magnolia Mansion, New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell told the crowd that it is important that we “continue to support a true son of the city of New Orleans - Irvin Mayfield.” There is something inherently wrong with the mayor of New Orleans celebrating a man who stole from our city’s library.
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Adding to the special treatment that seems to have graced Irvin Mayfield, is a judge’s order for Mayfield and Markham to pay restitution for the $1.3 million they stole. On November 3, U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey ordered the criminal duo to pay restitution of $500 a month as he announced a relatively light sentence of just 18 months in a club-fed prison. Journalist Matt Sledge of NOLA.com calculated that it would take Mayfield and Markham 92 years to pay back the money they took from the library.
The treatment that Irvin Mayfield appears to be getting is a blatant reminder that celebrities are celebrated - even if they turn out to be criminals. History is littered with cases of people who stole money and willingly did time only to get out and reap the benefits of the money they had stolen. Is there any money stashed in an account somewhere so Mayfield can access that money after he spends 18 months, or less, in prison?
And what about the 24K gold trumpet Mayfield had made for him? Will he have access to the trumpet when he is free? Currently, the trumpet, known as the Elysian Trumpet, is being held in storage at the Williams Research Center on Charters Street and is on loan to the Historic New Orleans Collection. Will he be allowed to get his crooked hands on that trumpet when he is released?
NOPD has said that it is believed that young thugs do not fear consequences for criminal behavior because they are released so quickly after their arrest, only to be arrested over and over again. What’s the difference between that and Irvin Mayfield not suffering greater consequences for his criminal behavior?
Steal over $1 million dollars from the broke city’s library; and you will receive special consideration in your trial and sentencing being delayed, the mayor praising you as a “true son of New Orleans,” extra freedom by not reporting to prison on time, and a paltry amount of restitution that will never come close to paying back what you stole.
This is not justice; and the mayor, the city of New Orleans, and the judges and attorneys involved should be publicly shamed for their dishonorable handling of a popular jazz musician.
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Shameful!