Atlanta cops lied and Kathryn Johnston died.

This blog previously reported on how drug cops in Atlanta murdered an elderly grandmother. According to their “official” story drugs had been purchased at the home of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston and then returned later that day to raid the home and arrest the alleged drug dealer, a young man.

But neighbors said that Johnston lived alone and that she never let anyone into her home because of her fear of crime. Police started breaking down the doors of the terrified woman, who no doubt thinking herself under attack, shot in self-defense. Her aim was good too. She got them but they lived. She didn’t. Of course the police fired back and killed the old woman.

The apparent truth at the time was that the police were lying. But the truth is coming to light.

The Atlanta Constitution reports that one “police narcotics officer has told federal investigators at least one member of his unit lied about making a drug buy at the home of an elderly woman killed in a subsequent raid...”

Police officer Jason Smith obtained a search warrant by claiming that a “confidential informant” bought “$50 worth of crack...from a man named ‘Sam’.” But narcotics officer Gregg Junnier “has since told federal investigators that did not happen”.

Here is the situation. Police narcotics officers lied in order to get a search warrant. They attacked the home of an elderly woman who was entirely innocent. She defended herself and they killed her. The warrant they had was based on what they knew to be a lie. If this proves to be the case, as I suspect it will, then the warrant was illegal and so was the raid. And if illegal the attack on this woman was illegal and the officers are criminally liable for the murder.

The facts appear to be that the police arrested a drug dealer who claimed he saw cocaine in this home (none was found). With nothing more than this they made up the story they fed the judge in order to obtain the warrant. And Mrs. Johnston died because the cops lie.

As we reported some time ago the drug cops then went to an informant and begged him to concoct a story claiming that the had purchased drugs at this home so that they would have “proof” that the story they invented would appear true.

The officers in this case need to be on trial for murder. And while I don’t support the death penalty I know many cops do so I won’t be upset in this case if they get the punishment they promote imposed on themselves.