Botched No-Knock Warrant Ends in Death of 92-Year-Old Woman

Little is known about the life of 92-year-old Ms. Kathryn Johnston prior to 2006, though on November 21 of the year, she lived alone in her home on Neal Street in Atlanta, Georgia, when undercover police officers barged inside, pumping more than 39 rounds into her home, six hitting Ms. Johnston, after executing a no-knock warrant.

Around 7 o’clock in the evening on the 21st of November, Ms. Johnston sat inside her home when Atlanta undercover officers Gregg Junnier, Jason R. Smith, and Arthur Tesler tore down her burglar bars and raided her home wearing bulletproof vests, dressed in plain clothes.

The officers did not knock on the door nor identify themselves as police officers before plowing through the front door.

Botched Drug Raid Results in Officers Planting Marijuana

Officers were on the prowl for a man who sold illegal drugs out of the home.

When Ms. Johnson saw the men burst through her door with guns, she grabbed her revolver, firing toward them one time. The officers returned fire, shooting 39 rounds into the home. Ms. Johnstons was hit with six of those bullets. She died instantly. An officer was injured as the result of “friendly fire.”

After Smith handcuffed Ms. Johnston as she lie in the floor dying, another officer planted a single bag of marijuana in Ms. Johnston’s home in an attempt to cover-up their botched raid.

(My speculations thus far----Ultimately PROVING the criminal officers knew drugs were not in the home since they brought a little marijuana with them. They planned to set-up the occupant (Ms. Johnston) by bringing the marijuana and also committed the misdemeanor crime of drug possession, which should be -if its not already-upgraded to a felony when law enforcement is the criminal. Likely, they did not realize a 92-year-old woman lived in the home or presumed she had kids or grandkids who “sold drugs” considering the neighborhood.)

Community Rallies With Ms. Johnston

The community rallied around Ms. Johnston, speculating that police entered the wrong house during the raid. Officers denied the allegations, saying that an informant for narcotics officers had made a purchase at the home the very same day. Upon speaking with the informant, he denied making a purchase at the home or providing such a statement to police.

Ms. Johnston lived in a high-crime area where in recent days, an elderly woman had been raped. She kept the “rusty old revolver” in the home for protection.

They went on to say they served a “no-knock” warrant on Ms. Johnston’s home because they felt she would have otherwise had time to escape the premises or hide the evidence/flush the drugs once she heard the officer knocking on the door.

Johnston had never been involved with illegal narcotics sales or trafficking.

(If the officers knew who lived in the home before raiding it, then I call bullshit again. She was 92 FRICKIN’ YEARS OLD.)

Officers Charged

The three officers involved in Ms. Johnston’s murder were charged with felony murder and burglary. After their arrests, the officers called an informant by the name of Alex White, telling him to falsely claim that he had purchased crack cocaine out of the home earlier in the day.

On October 30, 2008, all three officers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the civil rights of Ms. Johnston, resulting in her death. Smith and Junnier also pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and making false statements. Smith later confessed that he planted the bag of marijuana in Ms. Johnston’s home.

U.S. District Judge Julie E. Carnes sentenced Tesler to five years in prison; Junnier to six years in prison; and Smith to 10-years in prison.

The Johnston family won a wrongful death lawsuit against the department, winning a $4.9 million award.

Police Reform & Accountability-No Knock Warrants

Ms. Johnston’s murder contributed to the demands for police reform and accountability. Currently, three states - Florida, Oregon, and Virginia -ban no-knock warrants. Thirteen other states have laws explicitly permitting the execution of no-knock warrants, and the remaining states allow a judge to use his or her discretion to issue them.

Kentucky changed its laws concerning no-knock warrants, limiting their usage, in the wake of the Breonna Taylor murder, one that rings similar to the tale of Ms. Johnston all those years ago.

Resources & Additional Information:

https://kypolicy.org/banning-no-knock-warrants-first-step-in-addressing-police-violence-demilitarization/

https://vocal.media/theSwamp/dear-donald-black-lives-f-cking-matter

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/no-knock_warrant

https://vocal.media/theSwamp/12-million-dollars-for-her-life