Cops in Kathryn Johnston case to be sentenced Monday
February 20, 2009 at 10:00 am by Mara Shalhoup in NewsThe three former Atlanta police officers involved in the 2006 shooting death of a 92-year-old woman will be sentenced Monday on federal civil rights conspiracy charges.
Former officer Arthur Tesler pleaded guilty to the charge last October. The other two officers, Gregg Junnier and Jason Smith, cooperated early on with the FBI and entered guilty pleas. (Tesler initially declined a plea offer.)
All three men also faced state charges. Junnier and Smith could serve up to 10 years after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter — though their sentences could be reduced due to their cooperation. Tesler, who was sentenced to four years on a lesser state charge, faces 10 years on the federal one.
In November 2006, the defendants and a handful of other Atlanta cops executed a search warrant at 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston’s Neal Street home — a warrant based on false information that illegal drugs could be found inside. After firing 39 rounds at Johnston and killing her, the officers planted drugs in her house to cover their tracks.
Monday’s sentencing is expected to last for several hours and might continue on Tuesday.
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