Sentencing Today For Officers In Atlanta Drug Raid

Three former Atlanta police officers with roles in a botched drug raid and cover-up will learn their fate when they are sentenced Monday morning in federal court.

Officers Jason Smith, Gregg Junnier and Arthur Tesler all pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to violate civil rights resulting in death. In November 2006, 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston was mistakenly killed by police gunfire during a drug raid on her house in an Atlanta neighborhood.

The following investigation uncovered corruption in the narcotics division of the Atlanta police department. It included the revelation of the officers getting a false "no knock" warrant for the Johnston home.

Federal prosecutors are recommending a sentence of around 12 years for former officer Smith, but with reduced time for cooperation. Junnier is recommended for a substantial reduction to a 10-year sentence, given his early cooperation in the case. Prosecutors expect Tesler would get 10 years in federal prison.

Atlanta drug raid cop convicted

Another Atlanta police officer has been convicted for his connection to a botched drug raid in which a 92-year-old woman was killed in November 2006. Arthur Tesler on Tuesday in an Atlanta courtroom was convicted on one of three charges against him--the charge of making false statements to investigators. Tesler was acquitted of the other two charges. Tesler faces up to five years in prison. Two other police officers had pleaded guilty for charges against them in this case.

Closing arguments in case against former officer

Closing arguments began today in the trial of a former Atlanta narcotics officer who took part in a botched drug raid that led to the death of a 92-year-old woman. Arthur Tesler's trial is likely the only one that will be held in the November 21st, 2006, killing of Kathryn Johnston. She died in a hail of 39 bullets as plainclothes narcotics officers busted down her door using a "no-knock" warrant. The two other officers charged in the shooting have pleaded guilty to state manslaughter and federal civil rights charges.

Former officer testifies "couldn't take it anymore"

A former Atlanta police officer says he helped cover up a botched drug raid under pressure from fellow officers. Arthur Tesler testified today he was told to memorize a story to cover up events of November 2006 that led to police raiding the home of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston and shooting her to death. Tesler says the story was that he witnessed an informant buying drugs at Johnston's home. But during often tearful testimony, Tesler said he eventually decided to cooperate with federal investigators because he "couldn't take it anymore."

Police officer pleads guilty

An Atlanta police officer has pleaded guilty to breaking into and searching a person's apartment without a warrant. The case against 41-year-old Wilbert Stallings grew out of the investigation of a fatal police shooting of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston in November 2006. Two police officers previously pleaded guilty in Johnston's death. Those officers have been assisting the government prosecute other officers for crimes unrelated to the shooting.

Atlanta officer confesses to cover-up

Despite past denials, an Atlanta officer has confessed he had a role in the fatal shooting of an elderly woman in a botched drug raid and its cover-up.

At a hearing yesterday, prosecutors said officer Arthur Tesler admitted to FBI agents he teamed with other officers to lie about having enough proof of drug activity for a “no-knock” search warrant to burst into the home 92-year old Kathryn Johnston.

Tesler’s attorney says his client was a rookie in the Atlanta narcotics unit and NOT as culpable as the more experienced officers in the case who have pleaded guilty to more serious charges and await sentencing.

Telser plead NOT guilty to charges of violating his oath and making false statements and false imprisonment. His trial is set for April.

John Lewis challenger steps forward

Georgia congressman John Lewis has a challenger for Georgia's 5th Congressional district. The Reverend Markel Hutchins of Atlanta is a 30-year-old minister. He is known for representing the family of Kathryn Johnston -- the elderly woman killed in November 2006 by Atlanta police during a botched drug raid.

Police informant sues Atlanta

The man Atlanta police officers claimed was their confidential informant in a botched drug raid that killed a 92-year-old woman is suing the city. Alex White claims that police kidnapped and held him against his will for hours in hopes he would help them cover up their mistakes during the raid last November. The raid ended in the death of Kathryn Johnston at her northwest Atlanta home. Two police officers pleaded guilty in the incident.

Another lawsuit against Atlanta police

The family of a 92-year-old woman gunned down by Atlanta police filed a lawsuit against the city today on the one-year anniversary of the killing. The lawsuit was filed by a niece of Kathryn Johnston. It alleges racketeering, civil rights violations, assault, false imprisonment and negligence. Undercover officers killed Johnston last November when she opened fire on them as they forced their way into her home with a no-knock warrant.

Former police officers to head to prison

Today a federal judge revoked bond for two former Atlanta police officers and ordered them to prison. Gregg Junnier and Jason R. Smith must turn themselves in no later than December 3rd. Junnier and Smith pleaded guilty to lying about last November’s police shooting of Kathryn Johnston. The former officers are cooperating with the federal investigation into Mrs. Johnston’s death.

Congress studies Georgia police shooting

A high-profile Georgia police shooting has brought fresh congressional attention to how the nation’s police departments use confidential informants.

Today a congressional panel heard from experts who said law enforcement agencies need more oversight. One experts said the government’s use of criminal informants is largely secretive, unregulated and unaccountable.

One example of abuse was the death of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston. Atlanta police officers shot Johnston to death while doing a drug raid on her home allegedly based on an informant’s information. Officers have since admitted to making up the information to get a no-knock search warrant.

More suspensions in Atlanta elderly shooting case

There is more fallout in Atlanta from the November shooting death of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston during a failed drug raid. Three more officers have been suspended: a member of the narcotics unit who was off-duty the night of the raid, an investigator and a patrolman. The suspensions were announced after Atlanta police chief Richard Pennington was told the officers were part of an ongoing FBI probe.

Atlanta police department reorganizes

In the wake of the shooting death of a 92-year-old woman last fall, the Atlanta Police Department has made sweeping changes. Chief Richard Pennington announced an overhaul of the narcotics unit, which includes 14 new investigators and 3 sergeants. A new Lieutenant is taking over the unit, and there are plans to add 30 more officers by the end of the year. Department-wide, more than 140 personnel changes were made.

Kathryn Johnston was shot and killed November 21st when narcotics officers rushed into her home. They had a no-knock warrant based on false information from a drug informant. Two officers already have pleaded guilty in the case while a third officer still faces charges.

Atlanta police officers raised concerns before shooting

Some of the Atlanta police officers involved in last November’s fatal shootout with an elderly woman had raised concerns about such raids two months earlier. The Atlanta-Journal Constitution reports that when officers raided 80-year-old Frances Thompson’s home in September, she confronted them with a toy gun because she thought she was being robbed. Police later determined that the people coming and going from Thompson’s apartment were not buying drugs … they were church members visiting because Thompson’s son had just died. Soonthereafter several narcotics officers scheduled a meeting with their boss to voice their concerns. Two months later, plainclothes officers raided 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston’s home, killing her when she opened fire on them.

Two Atlanta officers plead guilty in elderly shooting case

Following a five month long joint-probe by Atlanta police and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, two of the three Atlanta police officers charged in the 2006 shooting death of an elderly black woman, have pled guilty in federal court to conspiracy charges. Investigators found the police lied when they said a confidential informant told them they could buy drugs at the house. The informant has since recanted his statement.

Former police officers Gregg Junnier and Jason Smith admitted they conspired to mislead investigators following the death of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston. The woman lived alone in one of Atlanta's high drug trafficking areas. She died after she shot at police, who had forced their way into her home.

The attorney for officer Jason Smith said his client understands what he did, and accepts responsibility.

Both officers face a minimum of 10 years in federal prison. The third officer, Arthur Tesler, remains on paid administrative leave from the Atlanta police department pending investigation.

A spokesman for the Johnston-family, Reverand Markel Hutchins, said the family was satisfied with Thursday's developments.

The Fulton County district attorney's office said its' investigation is not finished, concerning the look into corruption within Atlanta's police department.

Senate committee approves limits on "no-knock" warrants

Police say "no-knock" search warrants are a critical crime-fighting tool at times when regular search warrants do not work.
“We have served search warrants before where, as soon as they see you coming, they’re running to the bathroom to either hide evidence or destroy evidence,” says Fayetteville Police Chief Steven Heaton. “And in the case of a gang house, where you’ve got weapons at home, or potentially have weapons at home, they’re hiding weapons and they’re hiding other evidence.”
Heaton says "no-knock" warrants give police a fighting chance in those instances.
But Atlanta Senator Vincent Fort says police are using them "wily nily." He belives if a judge had not given Atlanta police a no-knock warrant, 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston might be alive today.
Johnston died in a gun battle with police in November. The police had obtained a no-knock warrant, although evidence indicates that they had no real proof of crime occuring in Johnston's home.
Fort has offered a bill stating that officers could only obtain no-knock warrants if they could show a judge probable cause that lives would be in danger, and evidence would be destroyed otherwise. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the measure by an unanimous vote. Police say the measure limits their ability to obtain no-knock warrants, but not to the point where it would hinder their work.