Prior to his indictment and guilty plea, Mayfield had outlined grand plans for the city’s libraries in an AP interview in 2008. Prosecutors said that in addition to orchestra operating expenses and salaries for Mayfield and Markham, library foundation money went into Mayfield’s personal bank accounts and toward the purchase of a gold-plated trumpet. Mayfield was also a founding member of the Afro-Caribbean jazz ensemble Los Hombres Calientes. Mayfield’s father died in the floodwaters. Mayfield was among musicians who took a high-profile role in promoting New Orleans after levee failures and catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But the library foundation scandal led to his resignation as artistic director of the orchestra in 2016 while scrutiny of his role with the library grew following investigative reports by WWL-TV. “Book One,” an album by Mayfield and the Jazz Orchestra, won a Grammy in 2010. Attorney Dall Kammer said failing to sentence the two to prison would be “a classic example of white collar criminals getting a slap on the wrist.” He pointed to Mayfield’s mentoring of young musicians and other community development efforts led by the musician and said Mayfield has “and incredible capacity to really make it right.”Īrguing for the maximum five years, Assistant U.S. “He still fixes his brother’s food like he did when he was a little kid,” Compass said.ĭefense attorney Claude Kelly said nothing would be gained by sending Mayfield to prison for a non-violent crime. Compass urged that Mayfield be spared prison time so he can continue to care for his disabled mother and an autistic older brother.
Supporters of Mayfield included former New Orleans police chief Eddie Compass. The scandal, they said, also seriously damaged the foundation’s reputation and fund-raising ability. I accept 100% responsibility,” Mayfield told the audience.Īttorneys for the foundation, while not speaking on what kind of sentence Mayfield and Markham should get, said the damage done went beyond the $1.3 million. At one point, Zainey told Mayfield to turn and address the courtroom, where Mayfield’s supporters and supporters of the library system sat. “The very library that got you your start … you ripped off,” Zainey said. That brought one of several interruptions from Zainey. He acknowledged the library as a place where he first was able to listen to jazz records as a child. Mayfield, addressing the court before he was sentenced, apologized to the library foundation, its donors and the New Orleans community.
Zainey said he had to balance the need to punish a serious crime that unfolded over six years with the need for the musicians to get back to work, make restitution and return to community service for which both were held in high esteem. District Judge Jay Zainey told Mayfield as he announced the sentence. “I have really grappled over this because of the potential you have, the wonderful things you have done for the community,” U.S.
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