Former Atlanta police sentenced to 5-10 years for killing 92-year-old in drug war corruption cover-up

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) – A former police officer tearfully apologized Monday for his role in an elderly Atlanta woman’s shooting death during a botched drug raid, and another told a judge he prays daily for the victim. 

“I used to think I was a good person,” ex-cop Gregg Junnier said before breaking down on the witness stand during a sentencing hearing in a federal courtroom in Atlanta, CNN affiliate WXIA reported.

Junnier and two other ex-officers, Arthur Tesler and Jason Smith, face prison in connection with the November 2006 drug raid that left 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston dead in a hail of gunfire.

Smith, Junnier and Tesler 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 house after her death.

Tesler was convicted on one state count of making false statements for filling out an affidavit stating that an informant had purchased crack cocaine at Johnston‘s home in a crime-plagued neighborhood near downtown Atlanta. The informant denied having been to Johnston’s home, leading to investigations by local authorities and the FBI, and the breakup and reorganization of the Atlanta police narcotics unit.

Police said Johnston fired at them with an old pistol during the raid, and they shot back in self-defense. Johnston’s one shot went through her front door and over the officers’ heads; they responded with 39 shots, hitting Johnston five times.

“Her death was the foreseeable culmination of a long-standing conspiracy in which the officers violated their oaths of office,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon-Peter Kelly said, according to CNN affiliate WSB. The officers “regularly swore falsely” to get warrants and make cases, he said.

Federal prosecutors said officers cut corners to make more time for lucrative side jobs providing additional security to businesses, often while on duty and for cash payments.

Excuse me, CNN and other mainstream media outlets – this was no BOTCHED DRUG RAID!  That makes it sound as if the police were executing a lawful warrant for a serious crime and, whoopsie, somebody made a typo on the address on the warrant.  Kathryn Johnston was shot to death during a premeditated fraudulent raid by crooked cops enabled by drug war corruption.

This is the natural result of domestic militarization of police and the inevitable corruption prohibition generates.  Kathryn Johnston is one of many citizens who’ve been killed or had their lives drastically altered from an unnecessary SWAT-style raid.  Some are innocent victims, like John Adams, Willie Heard, and Rev. Accelyne Williams, who die in drug raids at honestly mistaken addresses.  Some are guilty victims, like Bruce Lavoie, Scott W. Bryant, and Delbert Bonar, whose doors are kicked down by black-body-armor-clad disguised police with automatic weapons throwing flash-bang grenades in the middle of the night, only to find a few grams of marijuana for personal use.

There is no need to kick down citizens’ doors.  A suspect can be watched, tailed, and apprehended in broad daylight, away from the suspect’s family.  Even if a suspect is known to be armed and dangerous, coming at him full force in his lair just endangers the neighborhood.  The only purpose in these no-knock paramilitary drug raids is to instill terror in the population.  It’s all about “sending a message” that we’re “tough on drugs” and showing the criminals who control the market that the cops are the baddest gang on the street.

I’m happy to report these low-lifes who found their rent-a-cop moonlighting gigs more important than civil rights and an old woman’s life will be spending the next few months behind bars learning important lessons of respect and empathy:

ATLANTA — A federal judge has sentenced three former Atlanta Police officers to prison terms in connection with a botched drug raid that left a 92-year-old woman dead.

Jason Smith, Gregg Junnier and Arthur Tesler pled guilty to a charge of conspiracy to violate civil rights resulting in death.

U.S. District Judge Julie Carnes sentenced Smith to 10 years in prison, 3 years probation and a $100 fine.

Judge Carnes sentenced Junnier to 6 years in prison, 3 years probation and a $100 fine.

Judge Carnes sentenced Tesler to 5 years in prison and 3 years of supervised release.

The judge also ordered all three men to split the funeral costs of nearly $8200 for Kathryn Johnston, who was killed by police gunfire in the November 2006 raid.

In the sentencing hearing, Judge Carnes said, “The sentence must be tough to send a message to other police and also mend the confidence of the community.” While she indicated the three men did eventually cooperate with authorities, she said “This is a wrenching process for everybody.”

Judge Carnes was also very critical of the Atlanta Police Department and indicated the shooting was due in part to pressure on police officers to make drug arrests.

The U.S. Attorney’s office had recommended that Smith serve about 12 1/2 years in federal prison, and Junnier and Tesler serve about 10 years. Prosecutors recommended that Smith and Junnier receive reduced sentences because they cooperated with authorities.

I’m sad to report these lowlifes will be spending less time behind bars than most federally convicted growers tending large legal medical marijuana crops in California.