3 Atl Police Officers Indicted on MURDER

[Hulud]

Three Atlanta police officers indicted
Charged in botched raid that left elderly woman dead

By BILL TORPY , RHONDA COOK
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 04/26/07

Atlanta police officer Gregg Junnier, indicted Wednesday on murder charges in the shooting death of an elderly woman during a botched drug raid, has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.

He was one of two officers indicted on the state murder charge in the shooting death of Kathryn Johnston.


John Spink/AJC
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Stephanie B. Manis confers at the bench Thursday with attorneys for Atlanta police officers indicted in a botched drug raid that left an elderly woman dead.

• Junnier Indictment
• Smith Indictment
• Tesler Indictment
• Key events in case



Junnier entered the plea in exchange for state prosecutors setting aside the three murder charges against him.

Superior Court Judge Michael Johnson agreed to put off sentencing until Junnier has followed through on his commitment to plead guilty in federal court and agree to serve 10 years in federal prison.

He also must help prosecutors and the FBI as they investigate the Johnson shooting on the night before Thanksgiving last year. Junnier also pleaded guilty to other lesser charges.

Jason R. Smith, who faced four murder counts and other charges, is now appearing before the same judge.

A third officer was indicted for lesser crimes.

The multi-count indictments were returned late Wednesday but were not made public until Thursday morning. Like Junnier, Smith is expected to enter a plea in federal court on Thursday.

Officer Jason R. Smith was charged with 13 felonies, including four counts of felony murder, violation of an oath by a public officer, two counts of giving false statements, two counts of burglary and one count each of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment and perjury.

Officer Gregg Junnier, who has retired, was charged with three counts of felony murder, violation of oath by a public officer, criminal solicitation, two counts of burglary and one each of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and making a false statement. Junnier reportedly has struck a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to certain felonies.

The third, Officer Arthur Tesler, is charged only with three felony counts involving making false statements. Tesler, with eight months on the job, has vowed to fight charges against him.

The three offices were among a team of eight narcotics officers who raided Kathryn Johnston's home Nov. 21 hoping to get a cache of cocaine. They are accused of lying to get a warrant to get into the home. All eight were placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

Though only one person died during the raid — Johnston — prosecutors brought multiple felony murder charges against Smith and Junnier using other felony counts — the charges of burglary, aggravated assault and false imprisonment of Johnston — to support the counts.

[GIXXERDK]

Finally

[R3RUN]

So explain this to me. Why did an "innocent old woman" have a fucking gun in her lap when the cops busted the door in? Not saying what they did was right, but this old lady was not as innocent as people are trying to make her out to be.

[Eurostunna07]

DUDE IF U LIVED IN A GHETTO ASS COMMUNITY IM SURE UD HAVE A GUN RIT ON YO LAP ALSO ..THINK as if you live in that area. and how its like.

[R3RUN]

If I lived in a ghetto ass area I would get shot. Plain and simple. Im a tall skinny ass white person, I wouldn't last long no matter what gun I had/didn't have. Plus, didn't they find coke or something in this womans place?

[thinkfast®]

GOOD TO SEE JUSTICE BEING SERVED! THEY LOVE PIGS IN THE JOINT LOLOL

HONESTLY IM GLAD THEY ARE BEING CHARGED, THERES TOO MUCH SHIT INVOLVING COPS AND "QUESTIONABLE" ACTIONS THEY TAKE.. POLICE KILLING UNARMED INNOCENT PEOPLE IS NOTHING NEW, ITS BEEN GOIN ON FOREVER.. I HOPE THIS OPENS THEIR EYES

[R3RUN]

GOOD TO SEE JUSTICE BEING SERVED! THEY LOVE PIGS IN THE JOINT LOLOL

HONESTLY IM GLAD THEY ARE BEING CHARGED, THERES TOO MUCH SHIT INVOLVING COPS AND "QUESTIONABLE" ACTIONS THEY TAKE.. POLICE KILLING UNARMED INNOCENT PEOPLE IS NOTHING NEW, ITS BEEN GOIN ON FOREVER.. I HOPE THIS OPENS THEIR EYES

IIRC she pointed a gun at them when they came in.

[Echonova]

So explain this to me. Why did an "innocent old woman" have a fucking gun in her lap when the cops busted the door in? Not saying what they did was right, but this old lady was not as innocent as people are trying to make her out to be.

I haven't really following this close, but I thought there was some doubt whether the gun was actually hers or a throw down piece.

[con]

wow, justice is finally served.....

[thinkfast®]

IIRC she pointed a gun at them when they came in.

A TEAM OF 8 OFFICERS COMES BARGING INTO WHAT WE NOW KNOW WAS THE WRONG HOUSE, SHES ALREADY GOT BAD NERVES, IN A TERRIBLE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SUPPOSEDLY THEY NEVER ANNOUNCED THEMSELVES AS POLICE.. I DONT KNOW MAN BUT IF SOMEONE CAME BARGING IN MY HOUSE LATE NIGHT, UNANNOUNCED, YOU BETTER DUCK

[speedminded]

I don't get the multiple murder counts, where's Ruiner?

"...prosecutors brought multiple felony murder charges against Smith and Junnier using other felony counts — the charges of burglary, aggravated assault and false imprisonment of Johnston..."

[98silver328i]

If I lived in a ghetto ass area I would get shot. Plain and simple. Im a tall skinny ass white person, I wouldn't last long no matter what gun I had/didn't have. Plus, didn't they find coke or something in this womans place?

I have to agree with you. She wasn't completely innocent.

[R3RUN]

A TEAM OF 8 OFFICERS COMES BARGING INTO WHAT WE NOW KNOW WAS THE WRONG HOUSE, SHES ALREADY GOT BAD NERVES, IN A TERRIBLE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND SUPPOSEDLY THEY NEVER ANNOUNCED THEMSELVES AS POLICE.. I DONT KNOW MAN BUT IF SOMEONE CAME BARGING IN MY HOUSE LATE NIGHT, UNANNOUNCED, YOU BETTER DUCK

My point is an old woman who isn't doing anything wrong is probably not going to be carrying a gun around the house. I dont care where she lives. Now I agree that the police should not have fatally shot her but she did her part in getting herself shot.

[TIGERJC]

My point is an old woman who isn't doing anything wrong is probably not going to be carrying a gun around the house. I dont care where she lives. Now I agree that the police should not have fatally shot her but she did her part in getting herself shot.

Every eldery person I know has weapon and they usually carry a gun where ever they go. Old ppl are usually the ones targeted by criminals and thats why they carry. She was in her house and someone just kicks her door in without saying who they are, THERE IS NO TIME TO THINK IN THAT TYPE OF SITUATION.

[Hulud]

you all can stop arguing, because the lady was innocent

she did nothing wrong other than shoot at police officers who didnt say they were police officers as they broke into her house

so in other words, she did nothing wrong

DEADLY DECEPTION: Two Atlanta cops plead guilty in woman's death, blame pressure from police brass

By Bill Torpy, Rhonda Cook
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 04/27/07

What started with a few bags of marijuana being planted near a suspected street dealer quickly spiraled out of control. Narcotics officers lied to a judge, illegally broke into 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston's house, fired 39 shots at her —- and then one handcuffed her as she lay bleeding before he planted drugs in her basement.

The events of Nov. 21, outlined in court documents, were almost an "inevitable" outcome of a troubled police unit, a federal prosecutor said Thursday as two former Atlanta narcotics officers pleaded guilty and promised to cooperate in a wider probe of the department.

According to investigators, Atlanta narcotics officers hoped to satisfy goals set by police commanders by repeatedly lying to obtain search warrants, barging into homes and sometimes restraining innocent people, an atmosphere that led to tragedy.

The sweeping accusations were made in the guilty-plea agreements of Gregg Junnier and Jason R. Smith, two on a team of officers that took part in the botched raid at Johnston's home.

The deceit Nov. 21 didn't end with a faked warrant, according the officers' plea agreements —- they conspired to cover their actions by asking a confidential informant to lie for them. Instead, the informant went to authorities, giving birth to one of the biggest scandals to hit the Atlanta Police Department in years.

On Thursday, Police Chief Richard Pennington and other department leaders stood stone-faced as federal officials talked at a news conference about misconduct on their watch.

"This has been a very painful five months in the police department," Pennington said. "The mayor and I, we wanted one thing to occur, to get to the bottom of this and let justice be meted [out]."

Falsified search warrants

In rapid succession Thursday, Smith and Junnier heard their indictments for felony murder read in court, pleaded guilty in state court to voluntary manslaughter and other state charges, then pleaded guilty in federal court on charges of conspiracy to violate a person's civil rights ending in death.

"Junnier and other officers falsified affidavits for search warrants to be considered productive officers and to meet APD's performance targets," according to a federal exhibit released Thursday. "They believed that these ends justified their illegal 'Fluffing' or falsifying of search warrants.

"Because they obtained search warrants based on unreliable and false information, [the officers] had on occasion searched residences where there were no drugs and the occupants were not drug dealers."

The officers' callous attitude was evident the day of the killing, said Fulton County prosecutor Peter Johnson. After getting a tip from a suspected low-level drug dealer that a kilo of cocaine was in a home at 933 Neal Street, Junnier said they could get a confidential informant to make a buy there to prove there were drugs there.

"Or not," Smith said, according to prosecutors' account.

The officers chose the latter and lied to a judge that they had sent an informant to the home, according to the plea agreement.

At an evening news conference, Greg Jones, head of Atlanta's FBI office, called the officers' conduct "deplorable" and said the agency will pursue "additional allegations of corruption that other Atlanta police officers may have engaged in similar conduct."

U.S. Attorney David Nahmias called Johnston's death "almost inevitable" because of such widespread activity and vowed a far-reaching investigation into departmental practices. He said he expects to find other cases where officers lied or relied on bad information.

"It's a very ongoing investigation into just how wide the culture of misconduct extends," Nahmias said. "We'll dig until we can find whatever we can."

Nahmias said: "The department must look forward to reform itself." But he added "ongoing public scrutiny" on APD is needed to make that happen.

The news conference was held at Lindsay Street Baptist Church, a few blocks from Johnston's home. It is the same church where Pennington and Mayor Shirley Franklin faced an angry crowd of residents just days after the shooting.

Pennington didn't hesitate to respond to questions that police higher-ups set arrest goals.

"The Atlanta Police Department does not have a quota system," he said. "Yes, we get on officers for performance. Any corporate system does that."

"We have enough crime in Atlanta; we don't have to get quotas," he said.

Community not satisfied

Thursday's event at the church got dicey again. State Rep. Able Mable Thomas, who represents the area, took federal prosecutors to task. "The community is not satisfied with the plea bargain," she said. "The reality is the police are not off our back."

Nahmias tried to step in to get the conference back to a question-and-answer, when an irked Thomas waved him off. "The federal government just says close it!"

Markel Hutchins, the Johnston family's spokesman since the shooting, stepped up to the bank of microphones, saying, "We are quite comfortable this will be used as a tool to rid this community of this conduct."

During Thursday's state plea, a fidgeting and barely audible Smith leaned forward toward Fulton County Superior Court Judge Michael Johnson and said: "I wanted to say how regretful I am ... and sorry."

Junnier chose not to say anything, but his outspoken attorney, Rand Csehy, told the judge: "It's a case where the fish rotted from the head down," referring to police brass not properly training narcotics officers and turning a blind eye to improper tactics in that unit.

"Hopefully [the pleas] will reverberate through the police department" and help the narcotics unit clean up its act, Csehy said.

Under the plea deals, Junnier, who came forward to federal authorities Dec. 11, would get 10 years in federal prison and Smith would get 12 years and seven months.

The maximum penalty for the federal charge they accepted is life in prison. Their sentences could be shortened if they provide investigators with "substantial assistance" in their ongoing probe of the department.

In state court, multiple charges of felony murder as well as burglary and other charges were dropped.

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said his office has started looking at hundreds of cases in which the officers were involved. He said "as soon as we find out" corruption was involved, those convictions will be undone.

Smith, 35, a former Georgia National Guard officer who served in Iraq, was indicted on 13 felonies, including four counts of felony murder, violation of an oath by a public officer, two counts of giving false statements, two counts of burglary and one count each of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment and perjury.

Smith's attorney, John Garland, said his client "was trained to lie by fellow officers to establish probable cause."

Junnier, 40, with nine years in the narcotics unit, was charged with three counts of felony murder, violation of oath by a public officer, criminal solicitation, two counts of burglary and one count each of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and making a false statement.

A third officer, Arthur Tesler, 40, is charged with violating his oath as an officer, making false statements and false imprisonment. Tesler, with eight months as a narcotics officer, vowed to fight charges against him.

His attorney, William McKenney, said Tesler was "pleased the grand jury listened to him. They saw [the more serious felonies] as baseless charges. The imprisonment [charge] is factually flawed and will be attacked."

"It's very egregious. An innocent person was killed ... that's not indicative of our department."

RICHARD PENNINGTON, Atlanta Police Chief




and the article even did BTLFED notes


NEW DETAILS IN BUST GONE BAD

> Police lied to a judge

> Illegally broke into 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston's house

> Fired 39 shots at her

> Handcuffed her as she lay bleeding to death

> Planted bags of drugs in her basement

[The Green Monster]

yeah seriously


+1 to the old lady & Hulud

[Doppelgänger]

theres got to be a serious conspiracy around this. I mean, planted evidence, fake warrant..... c'mon theres something huge behind all this... someone is benefiting somewhere over this.

[thinkfast®]

THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD.. CORRUPTION IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS IS ONGOING AND HAS BEEN FOR YEARS, ALL OVER THE US.. RAMPART WAS A GOOD 1ST LOOK W/ THEIR C.R.A.S.H. UNIT GETTING BUSTED IN THE 90'S (OUT IN L.A. - SKID ROW FTL) I WANT TO SEE HOW ITS GOING TO AFFECT THE APD

[Hulud]

I have to agree with you. She wasn't completely innocent.

seems you are wrong buddy

[Hulud]

My point is an old woman who isn't doing anything wrong is probably not going to be carrying a gun around the house. I dont care where she lives. Now I agree that the police should not have fatally shot her but she did her part in getting herself shot.

shooting at intruders is something you shouldnt do?

[Sol-Badguy]

I don't know if it was mentioned, but they didn't announce they were cops, AND WERE IN PLAIN CLOTHES.

[Hulud]

I don't know if it was mentioned, but they didn't announce they were cops, AND WERE IN PLAIN CLOTHES.

its been mentioned, just certain people like to not read the news and then put their in

(not you Panda)

[Sol-Badguy]

(not you Panda)

Yes, I actually read.

[Hulud]

werd

[R3RUN]

shooting at intruders is something you shouldnt do?

Im not saying that but if 8 guys break down your door who else is it going to be besides the cops? I will admit I was wrong about this lady not being innocent. I didn't know about the cops planting shit in her house. I'm going to agree with droptop though, something doesn't make sense as to why the cops would want to frame an old woman. Maybe she knew too much. get to da choppa!

[Sol-Badguy]

I don't know if THIS was mentioned either, but she had a gun and was on edge becuase she had been broken into previous times recently.

If your house had been intruded multiple times in the same period, wouldn't you have a gun and be ready to fire?

[R3RUN]

I might be but I dunno. If my house was getting broken into that much I would consider moving. Especially if I felt I had to sit around with a gun.

[Hulud]

Im not saying that but if 8 guys break down your door who else is it going to be besides the cops?

a group of people coming to rob your house?

[Hulud]

I might be but I dunno. If my house was getting broken into that much I would consider moving. Especially if I felt I had to sit around with a gun.

its not that easy at 90, however old she was, to move

[ShooterMcGavin]

they're not gettin jail time. one's not being charged w/felony homocide and the other 2 are going to make plea agreements...

[Brick]

they're not gettin jail time. one's not being charged w/felony homocide and the other 2 are going to make plea agreements...

I hope it ends up that way, not looking so good though. I know one of them and know for a fact he's a good guy....this does make me say wtf though....

[thinkfast®]

IT SOUNDS MORE AND MORE LIKE THE APD HANDLED A LOT OF CASES LIKE THIS.. REGARDLESS THOUGH A LADY LOST HER LIFE OVER POLICE LYING, FORCING AN IMFORMANT TO LIE, AND PLANTING EVIDENCE TO SAVE FACE.. THEY DESERVE TO BE PUNISHED TO THE FULL EXTENT

[HachiDori]

^ WERD

But there are alot more questions to be answered, if you broke into my crib UN announced, as someone else said. You better duck!duk(sp?)

[Hulud]

I hope it ends up that way, not looking so good though. I know one of them and know for a fact he's a good guy....this does make me say wtf though....

seems you dont know him as well as you thought

[thinkfast®]

^ WERD

But there are alot more questions to be answered, if you broke into my crib UN announced, as someone else said. You better duck!duk(sp?)

LOL THAT WAS ME

[Hulud]

they're not gettin jail time. one's not being charged w/felony homocide and the other 2 are going to make plea agreements...

A Fulton County grand jury indicted Junnier, 40, and Smith, 35, Wednesday for felony murder and other charges in the death of the elderly woman, Kathryn Johnston. The next day, both pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to violate a person's civil rights ending in death. Under the plea deal, Junnier will get 10 years in federal prison and Smith should serve 12 years and seven months,

[quickdodge®]

HONESTLY IM GLAD THEY ARE BEING CHARGED, THERES TOO MUCH SHIT INVOLVING COPS AND "QUESTIONABLE" ACTIONS THEY TAKE.. POLICE KILLING UNARMED INNOCENT PEOPLE IS NOTHING NEW, ITS BEEN GOIN ON FOREVER.. I HOPE THIS OPENS THEIR EYES

Egg-fucking-zactly. Later, QD.

[4U2NV_FLC]

I have said this many times and i will continue to say this.....

Fuck popo!!!!


greedy ass motherfuckers tryin to get bonuses.

[quickdodge®]

I have said this many times and i will continue to say this.....

Fuck popo!!!!


greedy ass motherfuckers tryin to get bonuses.

I have said this only a few times and I'll say it again as long as you breathe my air.....

FUCK YOU, CHUMP!!!!
Dumbass motherfucker tryin to look cool with stupidity.

Later, QD.