Officers suspended for murder of innocent elderly woman!

ATLANTA - June 29, 2007 - Three officers have been suspended amid an investigation into the shooting death of an elderly woman during a botched drug raid, the city's police chief announced.

Chief Richard Pennington announced the suspensions after the FBI told him the officers had become part of an ongoing investigation into the death of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston at her home in November.

Two officers have pleaded guilty to charges including manslaughter in the shooting. Another officer faces charges including false imprisonment under color of legal process.
On Nov. 21, plainclothes narcotics officers burst into Johnston's home, using a no-knock warrant they obtained by falsely telling a judge that an informant had confirmed drug dealing at Johnston's home, according to government prosecutors. Johnston was killed during the raid in a hail of nearly 40 police gunshots.

None of the officers suspended Thursday was at Johnston's home the night of the shooting. They include Investigator Paul Vignola, who was on the joint federal-state-local High Intensity Drug Trafficking task force; officer Brad Burchfield, a patrolman assigned to a zone in southwest Atlanta; and Holly Buchanan, a member of the narcotics unit who was off-duty the night of her death.

Burchfield's lawyer, Page Pate, said the officer was surprised he was being investigated. "He had nothing to do with what happened," he said.

Officers J.R. Smith and Gregg Junnier have pleaded guilty in state court to manslaughter, violation of oath, criminal solicitation and making false statements, and in federal court to conspiracy to violate a person's civil rights resulting in death. Smith also pleaded guilty to a state perjury charge.

Arthur Tesler, a third officer charged in the shooting, faces charges of false imprisonment under color of legal process, violation of oath by a public officer and making false statements. Tesler has said he will fight the charges.

Junnier, who faces more than 10 years in prison, retired from the police force in January. Smith, who faces more than 12 years in prison, agreed to resign as part of his plea.