Family of woman killed in botched drug raid to receive $4.9 million

[Hazcat]

By the CNN Wire Staff
August 16, 2010 -- Updated 2219 GMT (0619 HKT)

Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- The city of Atlanta will pay $4.9 million to the family of Kathryn Johnston, a 92-year-old woman killed in a botched November 2006 drug raid, Mayor Kasim Reed's office announced Monday.

Johnston was shot to death by narcotics officers conducting a "no-knock" warrant. Investigators later determined the raid was based on falsified paperwork stating that illegal drugs were present in the home.

--SNIP

As the search warrant was being executed November 21, 2006, at Johnston's home, she fired at officers with an old pistol, apparently believing her home was being broken into. Six officers returned fire. Johnston's one shot went through her front door and over the officers' heads. They responded with 39 shots, hitting the elderly woman five times.

--SNIP--

Last year, former officer Jason Smith was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, while former officers Greg Junnier and Arthur Tesler were sentenced to six and five years, respectively.

All three men pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to violate civil rights resulting in death. Smith and Junnier also pleaded guilty to state charges of voluntary manslaughter and making false statements, and Smith admitted to planting bags of marijuana in Johnston's home after her death.

U.S. District Judge Julie Carnes ordered the three to split Johnston's funeral costs of $8,180, and to serve three years of supervised release after they complete their prison terms.

--SNIP--

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/08/16/georgia.botched.raid/index.html?hpt=T1#fbid=QQX2wkwDwEp&wom=false

comments at link

BTW I am sure there is a thread about the original incident here but I was to lazy to search for it.

[billt]

This kind of thing is happening more and more as police and government power abuse is becoming more widespread. The citizens are getting sick and tired of it, as evidenced by the large award. You would think cops would start exercising more caution when this type of thing occurs. Instead it seems they get even more careless. Government workers are the type who never learn from their mistakes. Instead they go on to make larger ones. Bill T.

[Pathfinder]

Cash payouts are common. What is not common is for 3 cops to go to prison of the incident. Notice however that these are Federal charges, not local ones, that they're doing time for.

Maybe Alf can tell us if the local .gov got shoved out of the way by the Feds, or if the locals were willing to settle for "reprimands" and the Feds stepped in with these charges. And I wonder how many others on the PD did get reprimands over this.

[Hazcat]

"No-Knocks" are illegal and should be stopped!  Ever hear of the 4th Amendment?

Amendment 4 - Search and Seizure. Ratified 12/15/1791.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.