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Police Officers Plead Guilty In Johnston Shooting
WSB-TV ^ | April 26, 2007 | WSB-TV

Posted on 04/26/2007 8:31:28 PM PDT by rednesss

ATLANTA -- UPDATE: Federal prosecutors have recommended sentences of 121 months for Junnier and 151 months for Smith. D.A. Paul Howard has indicated he would go along with the federal prosecutors recommendation. A formal sentencing hearing will be held at a later date.

Two police officers pleaded guilty today to federal and state charges in the shooting death of a 92-year-old Atlanta woman during a botched drug raid last fall. A third officer still faces charges in the woman's death.

Forty-year-old Gregg Junnier, who retired from the Atlanta police force in January, and 35-year-old Officer J.R. Smith pleaded guilty to manslaughter, violation of oath, criminal solicitation and making false statements. Smith also pleaded guilty to perjury, based on untrue claims in a warrant.

Another officer, 40-year-old Arthur Tesler, was indicted today on charges of violation of oath by a public officer, making false statements and false imprisonment under color of legal process. His attorney, William McKenney, said Tesler expects to go to trial.

Later this afternon in federal court, Junnier and Smith each pleaded guilty to a single charge of conspiracy to violate a person's civil rights, resulting in death.

U.S. Attorney David Nahmias said the recommended sentence for Junnier will be ten years and one month in prison, and 12 years, seven months for Smith.

State and federal sentences are expected to run concurrently for both men.

The three were part of a November 21st "no-knock" drug raid on the home of Kathryn Johnston. Police said an informant had described buying drugs from a dealer there. When the officers burst in, Johnston fired a shot at them. They fired back, killing her and wounding each other.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2ndamendment; abuseofpower; banglist; coverup; donutwatch; falsestatements; kathrynjohnston; noknockraid; perjury; policeshooting; selfdefense; warondrugs; wodlist; wrongfuldeath; wronghouse
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Didn't see this coming. Figured they fight this tooth and nail.
1 posted on 04/26/2007 8:31:29 PM PDT by rednesss
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To: rednesss

Good. I saw they were charged with murder, which didn’t seem right since that requires premeditation (I believe). This looks like an appropriate finding.

Now if only they could charge the higher-ups involved, including the PD leadership and the judge who signed the warrant.


2 posted on 04/26/2007 8:37:58 PM PDT by ellery (I don't remember a constitutional amendment that gives you the right not to be identified-R.Giuliani)
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To: rednesss

They deserve 1st degree murder charges and the hangman’s noose.


3 posted on 04/26/2007 8:38:11 PM PDT by Mariner
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To: rednesss

It would seem like the prosecution must have had a strong case, or they would have fought it.


4 posted on 04/26/2007 8:38:44 PM PDT by proxy_user
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To: rednesss

The whole “informant named Sam” business was a crock. This smelled to high heaven from the word go.

This result won’t help the party killed, though. I am sure some idiot will say this is “proof the system works.”


5 posted on 04/26/2007 9:01:34 PM PDT by Fido969 ("The hardest thing in the world to understand is income tax." - Albert Einstein)
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To: proxy_user
Media reports suggested the search warrant was obtained by fraudulent means, and that there was witness and evidence tampering after the fact.

The perjury is a felony in and of itself and the death that resulted from commission of that felony would be a capital murder in a lot of jurisdictions.

The witness tampering would surely inflame jurors and increase the likelihood of a guilty verdict.

Although it surprises me (but does not disappoint me) that they were charged, what they have now is a bargain compared to what they would have received in a trial.

6 posted on 04/26/2007 9:07:25 PM PDT by Clinging Bitterly (Oregon - a pro-militia and firearms state that looks just like Afghanistan .)
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To: ellery
Good. I saw they were charged with murder, which didn’t seem right since that requires premeditation (I believe).

They committed a robbery in which someone got killed. That'd be Murder One if not committed by the elite.

7 posted on 04/26/2007 9:27:39 PM PDT by supercat (Sony delenda est.)
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To: supercat

I didn’t realize that that situation was Murder One. I stand corrected.


8 posted on 04/26/2007 9:40:01 PM PDT by ellery (I don't remember a constitutional amendment that gives you the right not to be identified-R.Giuliani)
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To: rednesss

These guys deserve much longer time. I hope the victim’s family is able to sue them and their department for millions.

To KILL an older civilian, because the concocted a false story so they could go play military should cost them and their department dearly.

But it won’t. For the multiple CRIMES committed they are getting a slap on the wrist.


9 posted on 04/26/2007 10:09:26 PM PDT by JSteff
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To: JSteff
they also admitted to planting the small amount of pot that was “found” at the scene.
10 posted on 04/27/2007 4:43:18 AM PDT by THEUPMAN (####### comment deleted by moderator)
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To: rednesss

They fired back, killing her and wounding each other.

What a couple of fools, gang bangers with badges if you ask me. They got what they deserved.
I just hope this will send a message to all law enforcement that they better check their facts more than once before kicking down the door of a 92 year old woman.


11 posted on 04/27/2007 4:58:13 AM PDT by READINABLUESTATE (Free speech for thee, but not for me?)
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To: Dave in Eugene of all places
The perjury is a felony in and of itself and the death that resulted from commission of that felony would be a capital murder in a lot of jurisdictions.

Actually it's a Federal Crime which carries the death penalty.

TITLE 18, U.S.C., SECTION 242

Whoever, under color of any law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, ... shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if bodily injury results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnaping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.

But since they're cops, they'll only get ten years.

L

12 posted on 04/27/2007 5:03:24 AM PDT by Lurker (Comparing 'moderate' islam to 'extremist' islam is like comparing small pox to plague.)
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To: rednesss

I remember when the original article on this incident was posted here, there were quite a few people defending the cops for killing a 92 year-old woman. There were problems with their story even back then.


13 posted on 04/27/2007 8:12:28 AM PDT by jim_trent
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To: jim_trent

Every single case these yahoos ever worked on is now going to be gone over with a fine tooth comb and many an inmate will be released. Who knows who is an actual criminal and who just got something planted on them????


14 posted on 04/27/2007 8:18:16 AM PDT by rednesss
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To: JSteff
One got a little more than 10 years and the other got a little more than 12 years. They’re going to a federal penitentiary so there will be no parole. With maximum time off for good behavior they’d still end up doing around 85% of their sentences. This isn’t a slap on the wrist. I think I’ve read that the average murderer will only spend something like 5 or 7 years behind bars for his crime. This is a pretty tough sentence, and it may be a good bit worse for these two because they are cops, dirty cops at that. They’re liable to get the “shank” in prison.
15 posted on 04/27/2007 11:30:56 AM PDT by TKDietz (")
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To: TKDietz
They’re liable to get the “shank” in prison.

They'll go to a country club prison.

16 posted on 04/27/2007 11:44:25 AM PDT by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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To: FreedomCalls

I hope these thugs are tossed is with the General Population.

I hope their cell mates have just come out of a very long stint in solitary.


17 posted on 04/27/2007 11:49:02 AM PDT by trumandogz
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To: jim_trent

I seem to recall that these thugs were being defended by the Police State and Drug War Sycophants here at FR.

It would be fun to pull up those threads and call out Jack Booted Thug Cheerleading Squad among us.


18 posted on 04/27/2007 11:52:26 AM PDT by trumandogz
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To: trumandogz

> It would be fun to pull up those threads and call out Jack Booted Thug Cheerleading Squad among us.

Agreed, but I am too lazy. But, I will just remember it and remind others the next time it happens (and it will) and the same Jack Booted Thugs defend the rogue cops. Naturally, they will insist that THIS time it is different. But, it won’t be. Amazing that they never admit their error and correct their ways — a lot like “bleading heart liburals”.


19 posted on 04/27/2007 12:11:47 PM PDT by jim_trent
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To: TKDietz
No matter. They made the beds their about to lay on. They choose to be criminals and take someones future away.

I have only contempt for cops who do this and say they deserve the worst they can get.

Not only did they get a search warrant on fabricated evidence but then went in as children playing army and shot a woman to death.

Too many cops love playing this gestapo/delta force stuff. How many more at different parts of the country get away with this stuff all the time?

So anything these guys get in not enough to set an example for the other cowboys out there.

20 posted on 04/28/2007 12:56:26 AM PDT by JSteff
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