NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams is taking a stand on crime in New Orleans East.

Williams announced a conviction in a murder case Thursday and pledges more convictions to come.

Last week, a jury found Devion Taylor guilty of second-degree murder in the deaths of Kane Sanders and Christopher Cornelius in January 2022.

“This successful conviction would not have been possible without the support and partnership of community and law enforcement,” Williams said. “We need people who see things and know things to step up.”

However, Williams said, in this case, there were not any victims or witnesses to take the stand, so they relied on surveillance footage of the crime provided by the city’s Real-Time Crime Center.

“Camera footage is unbiased and gives an accurate account of what happens,” Real-Time Crime Center director Ross Bourgeois said. “You can assist us by participating in the SafeCam NOLA program by installing cameras on your home or business that is integrated to the Real-Time Crime Center.”

If you’re interested in installing a camera on your home or business, visit safecamnola.com.

In response to a surge of crimes committed in the New Orleans East area, Williams says the area is open for business but closed to criminals.

“We are sending a very clear message from Bullard to Read to Chef to Crowder, we will not accept crime, violent crime, or any kind of crime in New Orleans East or anywhere in New Orleans,” Williams said.

Lifelong residents of New Orleans East say it’s going to take a collaborative effort to regain their neighborhood.

“We are working to make this a place that criminals cannot come to do their deeds,” Clerk of First City Court Donna Glapion said. “I just want to thank the people that have been on the ground, doing that work, and I’m going to make a call to action to everybody in this community.”