Atlanta Police Corruption: Tip of Iceberg?

Published on April 27th, 2007

Posted by KB in General

Kathryn Johnston, 92, shot dead in own home by police

11alive.com(1) The police said the elderly grandmother shot three of their best cops, when in fact, she didn’t shoot anyone. [Police initially claimed that three officers were shot by Ms. Johnston. Now they say that Ms. Johnston fired once, hitting no one. --DU Ed.] Worse yet — they planted drugs in her home — in effect, spitting on her grave by turning her into a posthumous criminal.

“And that’s the question I’ve been pondering with over the last five months,” said Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington. “What would make police officers make up a story — lie on a senior citizen — plant drugs on a senior citizen?”

The feds wanted to know the same thing. But more importantly, they now want to know just how deep the rabbit hole of corruption goes.

“The FBI will continue to pursue additional allegations of corruption and violations of civil rights,” said Greg Jones of the Atlanta FBI office. “As we have learned through this investigation, that other Atlanta police officers may have engaged in similar conduct.”

11alive.com(2) Recently retired Officer Greg Junnier, 40, faced 33 years in prison if convicted of the charges in the indictment, which was released Thursday. Instead, Junnier made a plea deal which will likely send him to prison for 10 years. As part of the agreement, he pleaded guilty to charges of voluntary manslaughter, violation of his oath of office, criminal solicitation, and making false statements.

Officer J.R. Smith, 35, faced 43 years in prison if convicted, but entered guilty pleas to charges of voluntary manslaughter, violation of his oath of office, making false statements, criminal solicitation, and perjury. He is expected to receive a 12-year prison sentence.

The third officer, Arthur Tesler, refused to make a plea deal and is expected to go to trial on lesser charges of making false statements, false imprisonment and violating his oath of office.

Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington said that the entire episode “has been a very painful five months for the police department.”

Indeed. Changing your story so often in such a short time is enough to give you writer’s cramp.

_______________
Related Links:
(1) My original post on this story
(2) 11-Alive News Video
(3) CNN
(4) The Grand Jury Indictments

25 users responded in " Atlanta Police Corruption: Tip of Iceberg? "

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# 1 Janky-o said, on April 27th, 2007 at 6:17 am

So… the FBI is investigating corruption in law enforcement? Does anybody see the irony of Gonzale’s department investigating corruption?

# 2 Improbus said, on April 27th, 2007 at 6:22 am

Maybe with Gonzo on the ropes they feel they can actually do their jobs. What a concept.

# 3 Sounds The Alarm said, on April 27th, 2007 at 6:37 am

I’m waiting for James Hill to say this is a shit thread

I’m next waiting for Rush to do a video called “Kathryn Johnston, the magic dead Negro”. Then all the Rushies can start the predictable “He’s not a racist, he’s just exercising his First Amendment rights”

# 4 Fred Flint said, on April 27th, 2007 at 6:39 am

The issues raised by this sad sequence of events are not limited to the Atlanta Police, Ms. Johnston, the FBI or even the United States.

Every moment of every day they are at work, cops can make mistakes like anyone else – except when they make a mistake, they can end up charged with a crime, jobless, with no pension and in jail.

Think about that. It’s a possibility every minute of every day you’re at work, year in and year out. It’s not something most people are concerned with every day but then again, most people don’t volunteer to go through potentially dangerous doors.

There’s no justification for lying, planting evidence or framing people but I can understand why they panic and do things they would never have imagined themselves doing, back when they signed up to protect the weak from the strong.

# 5 sdf said, on April 27th, 2007 at 6:40 am

seen this elsewhere – pretty disgusting

# 6 HMeyers said, on April 27th, 2007 at 7:01 am

At least she was 92 years old.

# 7 moss said, on April 27th, 2007 at 7:08 am

#4 – the problem isn’t just “mistakes”, it’s corruption. Yes, it’s universal. Keep the standard for recruiting high and match that with salaries.

I’m always torn by these discussions – with honest cops among my friends and family. I have kin who resigned from the NYPD in disgust after his captain was busted for graft. One of my closest friends here in NM transferred out of 3 PD’s before he found a home that he felt welcomed an honest cop.

Yeah, it ain’t rare – and it ain’t easy.

# 8 mark said, on April 27th, 2007 at 8:06 am

“The feds wanted to know the same thing. But more importantly, they now want to know just how deep the rabbit hole of corruption goes.”

LOL. What do you expect when your overseer aka Alberto “Bugs” Gonzales is the example to follow.

# 9 John Paradox said, on April 27th, 2007 at 8:23 am

overseer aka Alberto “Bugs” Gonzales

Nope, his ACTUAL W. nickname is Fredo.
Ironic, ain’t it?

J/P=?

# 10 Jim said, on April 27th, 2007 at 8:28 am

Am i the only one sad that she didn’t actually shoot the thugs?
Maybe this is just another lie to cover up the fact that a 92 year old woman was able to shoot 3 cops before they were able to retaliate.

# 11 DaveW said, on April 27th, 2007 at 8:44 am

It is about time that SOMEONE realized that you simply won’t get very many honest, intelligent people to take jobs enforcing the War on Drugs.

At least not without a lot more pay.

# 12 jz said, on April 27th, 2007 at 8:52 am

Maybe some of you saw the story on 60 minutes about how African American rappers have been promoting the line, “stop snitchin” in their videos and songs. Black person after person repeated the line that they would not call the police even if they saw a murder or had a serial killer living next to them. One was left to wonder: are these people excessively paranoid or wise based on experience?

Then I read in this report, “But the police have already made sweeping changes to make it harder for renegade cops. Remarkably, two years ago, the penalty for a police officer caught lying on a report was a verbal reprimand.”

After the fiascoes with Nifong, Gonzales, and now this, isn’t it obvious that we need better oversight with regards to law enforcement? I agree with #7. The honest cop is becoming a rarer and rarer commodity these days.

# 13 RonD said, on April 27th, 2007 at 9:19 am

The officers could have received life sentences. But the plea deal reduces them to 12 years and 10 years. They haven’t been sentenced yet and prosecuters say the sentences may be reduced even further depending on how much the dirty cops cooperate in the investigation of corruption in the APD. Disgusting!

# 14 Fred Flint said, on April 27th, 2007 at 10:36 am

#7 moss,

I believe we are in perfect agreement on this issue. As clarification however, perhaps I should have made clearer my thesis that some “mistakes” can instantly lead to “corruption” among otherwise honest cops as the one and only means of self-preservation.

If they’re just corrupt, hang ‘em.

# 15 tallwookie said, on April 27th, 2007 at 2:14 pm

#9 – At least his name isnt Gweedo

# 16 mark said, on April 27th, 2007 at 2:47 pm

15. Or “Big Pussy”, man thats a good name.

# 17 John Henri Allyn said, on April 27th, 2007 at 4:04 pm

Go Ms. Johnson, defended yourself and hit 2 or 3 of the police who busted in your house for no reason

R.I.P

# 18 Dian said, on April 27th, 2007 at 5:46 pm

How come no one wants to know what happened to the ’snitch’ that told them drugs were bought in this house? The reason the no knock warrant was issued to start with? Was he pressured by police to produce something? No doubt. But the lying litte weasle is getting away with being the one to target that house while all the other hoopla is going on. You can not convince me their informant did not know who was dealing what in the hood.

Corrupt or not, I doubt seriously those cops were intent on busting into the home of a 92 year old woman. That would hardly advance their ‘bust rate’ for promotion now would it?

The cover up? Just wrong and yes they should be punished for that, but a lot of people are asking the WRONG questions about the whole incident.

# 19 TJGeezer said, on April 27th, 2007 at 6:28 pm

18 – Dian – The problem with defending the Atlanta cops on those grounds (which do make sense, given certain assumptions about departmental integrity) is their recent history of commiting one abuse after another against their own citizens and against visitors, too. In one case a visiting professor from the U.K. got rousted and arrested for assault after asking a plainclothes cop to show proof of authority.

When you get systemic rot like that in an agency whose members carry guns, the problem is bad recruiting, training or leadership. And when the drug war is involved, you also have to deal with the automatic corruption that Prohibition creates through state-enforced black markets.

The real question, ultimately, is: What the hell business is it of the government if an adult who is not hurting anyone has drugs in the house? Second question: When corruption becomes endemic, why don’t politicians end black markets by regulating, not prohibiting, drugs? (Hint: Follow the money.)

You’re right – a lot of “wrong questions” are being asked. But the right questions have nothing to do with a scared or paid snitch making up information. If s/he did know a 92-year-old lady lived there, s/he probably figured that fact alone would protect her. Not in Atlanta, it didn’t.

# 20 doug said, on April 27th, 2007 at 6:31 pm

#18. Snitches aren’t our responsibility. The people we have entrusted with the power of the State are.

# 21 Mr. Fusion said, on April 27th, 2007 at 6:59 pm

To Serve and Protect their own asses.

# 22 William Wise said, on April 28th, 2007 at 2:14 am

I’m most disturbed by the fact they had drugs ready and on hand to plant at the scene. Were these for personal use or do they generally just carry drugs to plant at crime scenes with them at all times? Sheesh. How do these people live with themselves?

# 23 dian said, on April 28th, 2007 at 9:42 am

# 19, I think we must agree to disagree on the general integrity of the police department and the legalization of drugs.I do not assume the entire department is rotten just because a few officers might be.

#20 I disagree. At some point as citizens, potential jurors, etc. the validity of snitches are indeed our responsibilty.

I do not know how many of you are aware of the hiring process for Atlanta police. I do, only because I was interested in becoming a 911 operator at one time. Between background checks, psychiatric evaluations, and other tests, it takes nearly a year to be hired to the police department. ( This applies to new hires, I do not know about transfers). By the time the process is finished, if you are just looking for a job, you probably already have one. So those who become cops really want to be cops. I really do not know what else the powers that be can do to recruit better help. They can pay them more, but it will still be the same people able to pass the criteria who are hired.

In my opinion, the cover up was all about the recent trends to charge cops with murder every time something goes down wrong. Accidents do occur and sometimes they are just accidents, but that excuse isn’t good enough in this society any more.

When I’m in trouble, I’ll still call a cop. Who will you call?

# 24 Mr. Fusion said, on April 29th, 2007 at 7:08 pm

#23, Dian

It wasn’t because of charging cops with murder that this happened. When cops have reached the level of planting drugs to gain a conviction, they deserve to spend time with all the bad boys they put away. Planting drugs is the easiest way to make a bad bust stick. But that doesn’t take a criminal off of the streets, it only adds another body into the prison system that doesn’t belong there.

Like it or not, there are many innocent people in jail that can’t prove their innocence because there isn’t any DNA. Lying to make a conviction is an injustice and a criminal act in itself. I don’t want criminals patrolling our streets, I want professional cops. I want a criminal justice system where guilty men will go free before we convict an innocent person. We deserve nothing less.

Accidents will happen. But it isn’t an accident when you swear that you KNOW a fact. It isn’t an accident when you have drugs ready to plant. That was premeditated.

# 25 Criminal Hater said, on May 15th, 2008 at 11:22 am

Pennington has probably seen it all in dealing with the corrupt thuggery in the New Orleans police department. The question is whether he has the firepower to fight big Atlanta politics . . . and is HE really committed to honesty, ethics, and seeing justice prevail.

The ongoing concern for me is that it is almost a certainty that the cops see a lot of questionable, probably illegal, things going on within their ranks and have the “blue line” crap used to keep their dirty secrets unknown.

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