Two Atlanta police officers, one of them now retired, pleaded guilty Thursday to manslaughter and other charges in the death of a 92-year-old woman who was fatally shot during a drug raid. Plainclothes police officers raided Kathryn Johnston's home on Nov. 21 after an informant told police he had bought drugs there. When the men burst in without warning, Johnston fired at them, wounding three, and they fired back, killing her. An autopsy revealed Johnston was shot five or six times, according to AP. The case raised serious questions about no-knock warrants, which allow officers to raid homes where criminal activity is suspected without warning. Fulton County prosecutor Peter Johnson said Johnston fired a single shot through her door, hitting none of officers, meaning the officers who were wounded were hit by friendly fire. Retired officer Gregg Junnier pleaded guilty Thursday to manslaughter, violation of oath, criminal solicitation and making false statements. Officer J.R. Smith pleaded guilty to the same four charges and to a charge of perjury based on making untrue claims in a warrant. In federal court, Smith and Junnier were expected to plead guilty to related charges. U.S. Attorney David Nahmias told The Associated Press the recommended federal sentence for Junnier will be 10 years and one month in prison and the recommended federal sentence for Smith would be 12 years, seven months. The state and federal sentences are expected to run concurrently. During a brief statement to the court, Smith said he regretted what happened. His voice barely audible, he said, «I'm sorry.» Junnier did not make a statement. Officer Arthur Tesler, 40, is charged with violation of oath by a public officer, making false statements and false imprisonment under color of legal process. Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington asked the FBI to lead a multi-agency probe into the shootout. He also announced policy changes to require the department to drug-test its nearly 1,800 officers and mandate that top supervisors sign off on narcotics operations and no-knock warrants. After the shooting, a man claiming to be the informant told a television station that he never purchased drugs there, prompting Pennington to admit he was uncertain whether the suspected drug dealer actually existed. The Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights activist who serves as a spokesman for Johnston's family, said the family was satisfied with Thursday's developments. «They have never sought vengeance. They have only sought justice,» he said. -- SPA
