Former Atlanta PD Cops Await Sentencing

[Ms. RedEye]

ATLANTA- Three former Atlanta police officers will appear before a federal judge Monday to be sentenced in connection with a botched drug raid that left a 92-year-old woman dead in her home.

Jason Smith, Gregg Junnier and Arthur Tesler pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiring to violate Kathyrn Johnston's civil rights.

As part of the federal case, the FBI released a report saying the officers falsified information for a no-knock search warrant then busted into Johnston's home the night of November 21, 2006. JIt's believed Johnston thought they were robbers and tried to defend herself with a revolver. She shot once. The officers returned with numerous rounds. They never found any drugs in her home, so according to the federal report they planted marijuana seized in an earlier bust and all three then tried to lie and cover up the incident.

The case led to public outcry and the Atlanta Police Department responded by dismantling and re-organziing it's narcotics department.

While Johnston's family is said to be supportive of the lengthy federal sentences being considered for the three officers, the longtime family spokesman Markel Hutchins, says he hopes the FBI report can be used to prompt additional charges at the local level.

"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 Hutchins.


News Hawk: MsRedEye: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: 11Alive.com | Atlanta, GA | Home
Copyright: 2009 11Alive.com
Contact: 11Alive.com | Atlanta, GA | Contact us
Website: Former APD Cops Await Sentencing - 11Alive.com | WXIA | Atlanta, GA

 

[Keith Lake]

20 to Life is appropriate in my opinion

- kill a citizen while playing SWAT in the wrong house
- lie about it and cover it up

I'd think that's at least manslaughter, obstruction and perjury (for falsifying the report)

Reap what you sow

 

[wadeo]

They were not playing swat , they were in fact kicking in doors of drug dealers and stealing there stock for resale. they just knocked down the wrong door. They then kidnaped a thug off the street and forced him to say he had tiped of the house. Then locked him up for safe keeping. But the story was to wild and he eventuily got out of jail . where at the risk of his own life started talking. No more red dog ,3 less Dirty Cops (dont worry we have plenty more ) one dead hero and the only one alive who told the truth was a street thug . good ole bible belt .

 

[Keith Lake]

Hi wadeo,

I didn't know the were robber cops, man that's even worse, let's up it to life without parole then

Do you have a source for that, maybe I missed it in the posts?

 

[wadeo]

yeah i live a few blocks from there , so the source would be me .Wade

 

[zolar]

they sound like twerrorists send them to guantanimo......

 

[Keith Lake]

UPDATE:

All three LEOs got jail time [don't drop the soap ]

Smith: 10 years to serve with three years probation.
Junnier six years in prison plus three years supervised release.
Tessler five years in prison plus three years supervised release.

All three must share the funeral costs that were paid for Johnston.

[url="https://www.wsbtv.com/news/18784101/detail.html']Source[/url]

 

[tricome]

IMO they got off easy. They are nothing more then home invasion robbers. If they didn't wear badges they would have gotten much longer sentences. I say the FBI should make an example out of them. The FBI should expand there police investigations. After all, policing the police is on of there main duties. There are dirty cops everywhere due to prohibition. It seems to be getting worse, and becoming a problem.
End prohibition, and put dirty cops out of business!

 

[Herb Fellow]

I agree, tricome, they really got off easy. I wonder where they will be serving their time? There is that beautiful walled U.S. Prison near Grant Park. I'm sure they could make some new friends.

 

[Keith Lake]

I'm not sure they were robbers

The report I heard was they were working security for cash while on duty

They were sloppy and trigger happy and planted evidence after they killed this poor woman

I agree they didn't get enough time (A federal growing sentence is the same?)

One upside; they disbanded the LEO unit over this

 

[sheapet]

they were let off far too easy, life in prison would be my say

 

[Keith Lake]

This should be getting wider exposure in the mainstream media.

They referred to it as a "botched raid", rather than "Police systemically found to falsify grounds for search warrants - death sometimes results" or "Planting of evidence found to be routine; police unit disbanded"

 

[09Giants420]

It is nice to know that busting people for marijuana, which was their excuse for busting in, is more important than a life. Why would anybody use violence or physical force for a drug bust? This whole thing is dirty from the beginning and those prison terms are ridiculous.... 20-life easy imo, they killed an innocent women over NOTHING. Nothing at allll, she was the most American person I have heard of in awhile. The right to bear arms, and she protects herself whens someone busts in. Those cops had no f'in clue what they were doing and they get a 6-10 year prison sentence... Bah this is how society works, if any normal person busted in and killed this lady it is life easy, but cops bust in kill her with about 30 bullets or more I bet and than plant evidence to lie and protect themselves get 6 damn years and prolly their jobs when they get back with reduced pay... This story sickens me...

 

[tonystarks]

Last time I checked this is a home invasion and murder. Just put a bullet in their heads and save the money of incarceration. This Drug War is not only killing our youth it's now taking out the elderly. This is very sad....


Go Green Smoke Local