Officer Pleads Guilty in little old lady killing
Officer Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter After 3 Indicted in Botched Raid That Killed Elderly Woman
Thursday, April 26, 2007
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ATLANTA - A retired police officer pleaded guilty to manslaughter Thursday, shortly after an indictment was unsealed charging him and two fellow officers with the shooting death of a 92-year-old woman during a drug raid.
Gregg Junnier, 40, who retired from the Atlanta police force in January, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, violation of oath, criminal solicitation and making false statements.
Officer J.R. Smith, 35, also was expected to enter a plea during the hearing.
The state charges followed a Nov. 21 raid on the apartment of Kathryn Johnston. An informant had described buying drugs from a dealer there, police said. When the officers, with a no-knock warrant, burst in without warning, Johnston fired at them and they fired back, killing her.
Junnier and Smith had been charged in the indictment with felony murder, violation of oath by a public officer, criminal solicitation, burglary, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and making false statements.
The third officer, Arthur Tesler, 40, was charged with violation of oath by a public officer, making false statements and false imprisonment under color of legal process. His attorney, William McKenney, said Tesler expects to go to trial.
(Story continues below)
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Activists Call For Review of Atlanta-Area Police After 13 People Killed This Year Tesler is "very relieved" not to face murder charges, McKenney said, "but we're concerned about the three charges." He said Tesler had testified before the grand jury.
Tesler and Smith have both been on administrative leave from the force.
In Junnier's case, prosecutors asked the judge to withhold sentencing until after a hearing later Thursday in federal court, where he was also expected to enter guilty pleas. Federal charges were expected against all three officers.
U.S. Attorney David Nahmias told The Associated Press the federal sentence for Junnier would be 10 years and one month in prison. The state and federal sentences were expected to be the same.
The deadly drug raid had been set up after narcotics officers said an informant had claimed there was cocaine in the home.
When the plainclothes officers burst in without notice, police say Johnston fired a handgun at the men, wounding three, and the officers returned fire. An autopsy report revealed Johnston was shot five or six times in the chest, arms, legs and feet. Initially, the medical examiner's office said Johnston was 88, while her relatives insisted she was 92. Public officials now agree she was 92.
The case raised serious questions about no-knock warrants and whether the officers followed proper procedures.
Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington asked the FBI to lead a multi-agency probe into the shootout. He also announced policy changes to require the department to drug-test its nearly 1,800 officers and mandate that top supervisors sign off on narcotics operations and no-knock warrants.
To get the warrant, officers told a magistrate judge that an undercover informant had told them Johnston's home had surveillance cameras monitored carefully by a drug dealer named "Sam."
After the shooting, a man claiming to be the informant told a television station that he never purchased drugs there, prompting Pennington to admit he was uncertain whether the suspected drug dealer actually existed.
The Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights activist who serves as a spokesman for Johnston's family, said the family was satisfied with Thursday's developments.
"They have never sought vengeance. They have only sought justice," he said.
Hutchins said the family is considering civil action against the police department.
"I think what happened today makes it very clear that Ms. Johnston was violated, that her civil rights were violated," he said.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
E-MAIL STORY PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION
ATLANTA - A retired police officer pleaded guilty to manslaughter Thursday, shortly after an indictment was unsealed charging him and two fellow officers with the shooting death of a 92-year-old woman during a drug raid.
Gregg Junnier, 40, who retired from the Atlanta police force in January, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, violation of oath, criminal solicitation and making false statements.
Officer J.R. Smith, 35, also was expected to enter a plea during the hearing.
The state charges followed a Nov. 21 raid on the apartment of Kathryn Johnston. An informant had described buying drugs from a dealer there, police said. When the officers, with a no-knock warrant, burst in without warning, Johnston fired at them and they fired back, killing her.
Junnier and Smith had been charged in the indictment with felony murder, violation of oath by a public officer, criminal solicitation, burglary, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and making false statements.
The third officer, Arthur Tesler, 40, was charged with violation of oath by a public officer, making false statements and false imprisonment under color of legal process. His attorney, William McKenney, said Tesler expects to go to trial.
(Story continues below)
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RelatedStories
Activists Call For Review of Atlanta-Area Police After 13 People Killed This Year Tesler is "very relieved" not to face murder charges, McKenney said, "but we're concerned about the three charges." He said Tesler had testified before the grand jury.
Tesler and Smith have both been on administrative leave from the force.
In Junnier's case, prosecutors asked the judge to withhold sentencing until after a hearing later Thursday in federal court, where he was also expected to enter guilty pleas. Federal charges were expected against all three officers.
U.S. Attorney David Nahmias told The Associated Press the federal sentence for Junnier would be 10 years and one month in prison. The state and federal sentences were expected to be the same.
The deadly drug raid had been set up after narcotics officers said an informant had claimed there was cocaine in the home.
When the plainclothes officers burst in without notice, police say Johnston fired a handgun at the men, wounding three, and the officers returned fire. An autopsy report revealed Johnston was shot five or six times in the chest, arms, legs and feet. Initially, the medical examiner's office said Johnston was 88, while her relatives insisted she was 92. Public officials now agree she was 92.
The case raised serious questions about no-knock warrants and whether the officers followed proper procedures.
Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington asked the FBI to lead a multi-agency probe into the shootout. He also announced policy changes to require the department to drug-test its nearly 1,800 officers and mandate that top supervisors sign off on narcotics operations and no-knock warrants.
To get the warrant, officers told a magistrate judge that an undercover informant had told them Johnston's home had surveillance cameras monitored carefully by a drug dealer named "Sam."
After the shooting, a man claiming to be the informant told a television station that he never purchased drugs there, prompting Pennington to admit he was uncertain whether the suspected drug dealer actually existed.
The Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights activist who serves as a spokesman for Johnston's family, said the family was satisfied with Thursday's developments.
"They have never sought vengeance. They have only sought justice," he said.
Hutchins said the family is considering civil action against the police department.
"I think what happened today makes it very clear that Ms. Johnston was violated, that her civil rights were violated," he said.
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That is convenient, they can send all three of them right down to Moreland Avenue in Atlanta for a fifteen year stay in the Atlanta Federal Pen. 0 -
this does not mean he was guilty, and everyone here was wrong about this, it just means he had to admit to it
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=222460&SearchTerms=92,year,old,woman
hate to say it, but i told ya so[:D]0 -
Sounds mighty damn guilty to me. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
this does not mean he was guilty, and everyone here was wrong about this, it just means he had to admit to it
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=222460&SearchTerms=92,year,old,woman
hate to say it, but i told ya so[:D]
There's an old woman who would not be dead had a proper investigation been done by the parties involved. Had they attacked a dope house they would baste in the glory. Since they were incompetent, let them suffer the blame. Would you prefer they be gunned down in their home?0 -
I live in GA and know officers on the Atlanta force. My son is a Federal Agent and is part of a multi department task force. He participates in drug raids. This is a no win situation.
A cop goes on a raid, he/she can't personally verify the validity of the warrant. The door goes down, shots fired, return fire, innocent lady is dead. Damn, damn, damn. The process is the problem. Why does the cop have to go to prison?
If some one breaks down my front door he/she/they are going to be greeted with as many rounds of #4 buck as my LE Mossberg can pump out.
If I am wounded/killed I expect my family to be paid for the loss of my income, etc. I NEVER would expect a cop to go to jail. Maybe the superior that requested the errant warrant.
In my experience in law enforcement I defined my job as follows:
PO-Lease. the poorest meanie in town and the least respected.0 -
"Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington asked the FBI to lead a multi-agency probe into the shootout. He also announced policy changes to require the department to drug-test its nearly 1,800 officers"
I infer that Chief Pennington thinks that the cops that shot this elderly lady were high on drugs.0 -
According to the article that I read, the guilty plea included a plea of guilty to planting evidence in a cover up attempt.
1911, a plea of guilty is an admission of guilt. No ifs ands or buts.0 -
If a guilty plea doesn't imply guilt, it at least makes me awfully suspicious. 0 -
Good. They want the power, they should have to pay the full consequences when they abuse or negligently use that power. Just like we have to as gun-owners when someone is injured or killed by our carelessness or negligent discharges. 0 -
quote: Would you prefer they be gunned down in their home?
HUH!
i think a few did not read the link i provided, it is clear that some gb members where arguing the officers where no way wrong, and my remark about not being guilty was sarcasm, if you notice most who replied in the link have not replied in this thread0
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