Filed under: News, Race and Civil Rights
It was bad enough that Atlanta police had the wrong address, when it launched a 2006 drug raid with guns blazing in the crime-riddled English Avenue neighborhood.
When it was clear that the officers had the wrong house because no drugs were found, though, police still decided to plant marijuana on the 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston, who was shot to death in the raid.
The unconscionable actions by the police drug squad led to a $4.9 million settlement to Johnston's family and the city of Atlanta, Mayor Kasim Reed announced this week.
Five Atlanta officers pled guilty for their roles in the shooting and six others were reprimanded for acting against police policy; police used an illegal no-knock search warrant to break down Johnston's door.
While it's obvious no amount of money will bring Johnston back to her family, the public scrutiny the settlement and officers' convictions will bring may help clear the bad actors from the police department.
Johnston didn't go down without a fight. In self-defense, she fired a shotgun blast at the police intruders. Thinking of the horror that must have been going through Johnston's mind as the officers crashed through her door is heart wrenching and clearly touched a nerve.
Johnston's shooting has been memorialized in song by folk singer Shawn Mullins (watch him sing below). An Atlanta artist also painted a huge mural of Johnston on her northwest Atlanta home.
Of more lasting importance is the pledge from city officials that Atlanta police training and policies will be overhauled due to the Johnston killing.
If that turns out to be true, then the death of Kathryn Johnston will not have been in vain.