1 Atlanta officer pleads guilty in drug raid death of elderly woman

Y'all remember this one from a few months back?

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0426elderly-shooting0426-ON.html#

1 Atlanta officer pleads guilty in drug raid death of elderly woman
Associated Press
Apr. 26, 2007 10:50 AM

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 in January, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, violation of oath, criminal solicitation and making false statements.

Officer J.R. Smith, 35, was expected also to enter a plea during the same hearing.

On Nov. 21, the officers had raided Kathryn Johnston's home after an informant described buying drugs there, police say. When the officers, with a no-knock warrant, burst in without warning, Johnston fired at them and they fired back, killing her.

Junnier, 40, and Officer J.R. Smith, 35, were 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 said he expects the case to go to trial.

 

I wonder what will happen to the Judge who signed the warrant.

Never mind, silly me.

 

Why should anything happen to the judge? Didn't the officers who sought the warrant swear under oath that the information provided by them to get the warrant was true? What did the judge do that was potentially illegal?

 

The question should be, "What are they going to do to any judge that signs a no-knock warrant"?

http://www.cato.org/raidmap/

Botched Paramilitary Police Raids

 

Looks like some of our boys in blue use the same manual as the Gestapo and KGB.

 

Rubber stamp?

 

What's the difference between "manslaughter" and "felony murder" in GA ?

 

Evidence?

 

I don't know about Georgia, but in Illinois, you can get the DEATH PENALTY for felony murder.

The person whose signature appears on the perjured warrant affidavit should get the needle.

 

This officer should be hung from the tree of liberty.



BWHAAAA HAAAA HAAAA

But serious, I'm astounded that they now have 1 conviction. Manslaughter is a wimp plea, this was a premeditated act with a reasonable, forseeable leathal outcome... he should be convicted of murder, pure and simple.

And then he SHOULD be executed.

 

Well, no matter what joint the boy ends up in, as a convicted cop, he's gonna have a real bad day, every day.

Biker

 

You have to be wrong Biker, I mean prisons are controlled environments with 24/7 supervision, and no weapons or drugs, and no assaults since occupants are so closely monitored.

Heck, aren't prisons a crime free utopia?

 

If they see any jail time, it will be in protective custody.
I will expect to see light sentences. I have heard nothing about the judge yet, as he was just as involved as the police.

The old threads make interesting reading, I just took a peek.

 

The presumption, as far as the judge goes, is that the affidavit was taken at face value.

As far as the officers go, were I the victim's family, I would make it the mission of my life to hound each and every one of them to his grave. I wouldn't give any of them a moment's peace until one of us died. I'd just keep filing lawsuit after lawsuit after lawsuit. I'd follow them around the country to make sure they never worked at MacDonalds, nevermind in law enforcement.

 

Glad this is finally back in the press. Sounded hinky when it happened months ago. Now we know it was totally bogus! The Fox News tonight says two of the cops have now pleaded to manslaughter. The story also says the old woman only fired one shot. Wasn't the story that she wounded 3 or maybe five of the LEO's? Anyway, this sad story was a perfect example of the dangers inherent in these no-knock raids. It also highlights what happens when sloppy or no police work meets criminal informant....... Some poor innocent person ends up DEAD!

 

The other problem I always had with this was that they did the raid in plain clothes. How the hell is any citizen supposed to be able to tell who they are?

It was also VERY reassuring to know that they planted marijuana in the home. I mean that is just done in the movies right? Apparently not. They also apparently make a habit of carrying around marijuana to plant at crime scenes. Did they happen to throw possession in there with the other charges?

 

My recollection, though I'm too tired to go confirm it right now, is that she hit every one of them at least once. Pretty good for a 92 year old lady. If a bunch of unidentified men in street clothes kicked in my door...good for her.

 

"Johnston fired only once through her door and didn't hit any of the officers, he said. That means officers who were wounded likely were hit by their own colleagues"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070427/ap_on_re_us/elderly_shooting;_ylt=ApbmhmI4FKVi6Kh.NJwFCdVG2ocA

 

It had nothing to do with the informant--he was only involved after the fact, when the dirty cops tried to get him to cover for their crimes. Indeed, the informant could properly be termed a hero in this particular case.

<a href="http://reason.com"><i>Reason</i></a> just ran a bit on Alex White, the informant:

I particularly recommend reading the linked AJC story as well:

 

If the "esteemed" Demo controlled Congress want to have a hearing that matters these no know raids need to be outlawed except under very limited conditions. These cops should be charged with murder and given the death penalty. These type of murder is horrendous. I have absoultely no sympathy for them. I am not a cop basher but these guys murdered an innocent citizen.

 

Very good, and sadly, very surprising.

I'll reserve my dancing in the streets when the guy in (where was it DC?) that is sitting in jail for shooting police entering the wrong home goes free. Cops no knock the wrong house and get shot, I for one cal lthat a job hazzard if you are stupid enough to do such a thing. If someone barged into that cops house would he assume they have good intentions or just police at the wrong house? I think not.

 

Swat type raids endanger the public and officers involved in the event.

I can't understand why a city/county would allow such a broad use of these raids.

 

manslaughter. a lot of people get probation for that. the fix is in.

 

I thought that the law enforcement is protected by the state for things such as this one. They didn't had the time to shoot the warning fire before shooting the guy and killing the old lady. They didn't act quite as the protocol requires but I still think they're not to be blamed for this. Maybe just a suspension will do.

 

I'm with Deanimator. If that were my kin who were killed in some gaumed up wannabe tac raid, I'd hound him/them until the end of his/their days.

It seems that you have 2 choices should someone come kicking your door in these days. Shoot, or lie down. If you shoot and it's a bad guy, you win a civil suit. If you shoot and it's a bad guy wearing good guy clothes, and working a good guy job, with a good guy piece of paper signed by a judge, and shouting "Police!" as they're kicking in the door, you're totally done for.
So, what's a person to do?

Bad guys run the gamut from crank addicts looking for pawn items, to full on home invader types with gear and patches from Ranger American or the embroidery kiosk in the mall.

As I've said before, if it's the real fuzz and you open fire it won't matter what or how many full auto toys you have and are employing. You are outclassed and outgunned in every way when it comes to SWAT.
So, what do you do? How do gun owners protect themselves without clashing with LE doing a raid that's either botched, real, or fake?