Posted on 11/28/2006 9:09:58 AM PST by kiriath_jearim
Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington said Sunday his department will review its policy on "no-knock" warrants and its use of confidential informants after an elderly woman was fatally shot by plainclothes officers.
Pennington's comments on the incident were the first since Kathryn Johnston was killed Tuesday night after she shot three narcotics officers, who were serving a warrant at her home when they were met with gunfire from the woman. The chief was out of town last week for the Thanksgiving holiday and said he was unable to get a flight back to Atlanta sooner.
The officers entered the home looking for cocaine based on tips from an informant, according to the search warrant released Monday by the Fulton County State Court. After the shooting officers found marijuana inside the northwest Atlanta home, but "not a large quantity," Pennington said.
The informant told officers that the home had surveillance cameras that the suspected drug dealer, called "Sam," monitored carefully.
Police have said "Sam" had sold drugs from inside Johnston's home to an informant, prompting the officers to seek a "no-knock" warrant. Such warrants are frequently used by police to get inside a home before suspects have a chance to get rid of drugs.
Pennington was scheduled to hold a news conference later Monday to disclose details from the shooting, said police spokesman Officer Joe Cobb. The incident remains under internal review by the police department, which prevents the chief from talking about many aspects of the case, he said.
"He's going to discuss everything we can release about the officer involved shooting of Ms. Johnston," Cobb said.
Sarah Dozier, Johnston's niece, has said her aunt lived alone.
Johnston was described by neighbors and family as a woman living in fear in Vine City _ a northwest Atlanta neighborhood in the shadow of the Georgia Dome. There were burglar bars on her one-story brick home and she rarely let friends and neighbors inside.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into the incident at the request of the Fulton County District Attorney's Office.
The Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights activist, is scheduled to travel to Washington on Monday to call for a federal investigation into the incident.
Pennington said he welcomes any investigation into the shooting. "I appreciated that he came down to reassure us that he will do everything that needs to be done to look into this," Hutchins said after the meeting.
The three officers were released from the hospital last week and are on leave with pay. Funeral plans for Johnston have not been made.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office also reported Sunday that records show Johnston was 88, despite her family saying she was 92.
How does it make sense to do "no knock" entries with plainclothes police? It seems like there is a great chance for confusion.
Then she deserved to be shot.
What a bunch of incompetents. I wouldn't take the word of a drug informant at face value. They're mostly criminals themselves. I think I'd verify the information first before resorting to "no knock" warrants and entries.
These cops and their superiors whould be charged with 2nd degree murder.
In that case, they'll call your home a "compound" and you will never make it out alive.
You would think that with all of their professional experience and training that they could foresee the problems and risks to panicked and/or innocent people. I guess the answer is they don't care.
I see they are still getting paid. Someone lost a mom or a grandma and they are getting off free. Is this lady black? Has Al or Jesse heard about this?
Without a comparison of successful raids that list is useless. You know that, though. If you are looking for a 100% success rate, you are on the wrong planet.
Jackbooted tactics such as these have no place in a society of Free Men.
Or "bunker".
"These cops and their superiors whould be charged with 2nd degree murder."
For serving a lawful warrant? You are delusional.
What? Do you really mean innocent people have no right to defend themselves if the police mistakenly invade the home of a law abiding person? Why should a home owner believe that plain clothed police performing that break in are actually police?
Oooooh. Even better.
That's like Viagra™ to the ski-mask and MP5 crowd.
"Do you really mean innocent people have no right to defend themselves if the police mistakenly invade the home of a law abiding person?"
Why wold someone need to protect themselves from the police? Are they there to rob them or murder them? No, they are there to serve a warrant so your arguement is not even based in reality.
You have defined the problem perfectly. Hats off!
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