She was 92.
A federal judge has sentenced three former Atlanta Police officers to prison terms in connection with a botched drug raid that left a 92-year-old woman dead.
Jason Smith, Gregg Junnier and Arthur Tesler pled guilty to a charge of conspiracy to violate civil rights resulting in death.
U.S. District Judge Julie Carnes sentenced Smith to 10 years in prison, 3 years probation and a $100 fine.
Judge Carnes sentenced Junnier to 6 years in prison, 3 years probation and a $100 fine.
Judge Carnes sentenced Tesler to 5 years in prison and 3 years of supervised release.
The judge also ordered all three men to split the funeral costs of nearly $8200 for Kathryn Johnston, who was killed by police gunfire in the November 2006 raid….
For background, please read the excellent piece by the AJC from a couple days ago:
Jason Smith was losing it.
“I [screwed] up; I think I killed this woman,” the Atlanta narcotics cop told partner Arthur Tesler in the yard behind a small brick bungalow on Neal Street. “You guys got to help me.”
Inside, a 92-year-old woman lay dead, killed by a fusillade of police bullets. Officer Gregg Junnier, his face grazed by a bullet and bleeding, stalked through the home looking for suspects and contraband.
But there were no dealers, no kilo of cocaine. The tip that brought police to 933 Neal St. was as bogus as the story they used to sell a judge on the raid
Both the judge and community activists believe that the problem goes deeper:
“For anyone to suggest that these officers were by themselves is irresponsible at best. The real culprit in this is the culture within the Atlanta police department and the higher ups that laid the foundation. Why aren’t they being held accountable,” said Reverend [Markel] Hutchins.
Thanks, K B
They are actually prosecuting police officers who plant drugs on little old ladies to cover up a blotched no-knock raid? I’m surprised the prosecutors did the right thing. I wouldn’t have given the police a plea deal though.
“”Officers who think, as these defendants once did, that the ends justify the means or that ‘taking shortcuts’ and telling lies will not be discovered and punished should realize that they are risking their careers and their liberty.” U.S. Attorney David Nahmias said in a written statement.” ///
THATS RIGHT!!! One guilty conviction every 50 years should whip the nations 12,569 different police departments into shape. I’ll rest easy now.
#2, Bobbo,
I share your cynicism. For a sop, however, the advent of more and more video cameras are finally bringing to light some of these atrocities.
Of course, for the fearful majority, this is another of those instances that are just “rare” occurrences until it happens to them.
Without having a legal search warrant, this is really a home invasion. The State should be charging them with that.
#3–Fusion==I agree. The linked article is actually pretty good. Sadly, what this very rare case shows is how bad our legal system is from top to bottom. The driving force of these officers illegal conduct was the police force==the drive for increased drug arrests, the culture of “the thin blue line.”
3 sacrificed cops means nothing when the management stays in place. The tumor may have been excised, but the cancer is well established throughout the police department.
What was for $100 fine for? Wasting bullets?
Should have been 2nd degree murder.
not that I’m commenting on the horrific story or article…however, “excellent” and AJC” are two words that should never go together.
This was one of the most blood boiling stories in recent years. Frankly, I’m disappointed in this outcome; if any of us had charged into a 92 year old woman’s house and shot her to death, we’d get life in prison or the death penalty, not 5 years that with early parole. This double standard of justice, one for cops and officials, and another for the rest of us, is truly galling, and is rapidly eroding my respect for the law.
This problem will never go away until we decide to stop passing laws that a large part of society doesn’t want and will never follow. If they would just legalize drugs, prostitution, and gambling we could get rid of 1/2 these damn cops and most of the crime associated with under ground cartels. If properly regulated and taxed these “new” industries could pay the bulk of our taxes.
# 11 atmusky said, “If properly regulated and taxed these “new” industries could pay the bulk of our taxes.”
Pretty hilarious. Congress always spends more than it takes in. This would only have the effect of enlarging gov’t and even higher deficits.
It boggles my mind how anyone can be charge with shooting at a police officer who barges in on a no-knock warrant. It also boggles my mind that any police officer would not expect to be shot at while doing this.
#12 Enlarging government more than the Drug War has? I mean, the DEA alone has a fleet of 120 planes or so, and when the Drug Czar travels it is with a small air fleet. You are paying to spray herbicides into the rainforest of Columbia right now, when we should be paying (far, far less) to save those forests. Not to mention the incredible damage to our civil rights that the Drug War has produced.. . .
In other words, your argument is crap.