Sentencing for Cops Who Killed Katherine Johnston

The Atlanta cops who killed 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston during a 2006 drug raid were sentenced in federal court today. The officers perjured themselves in a search warrant affidavit, violently broke into Johnston's home (which they had mistaken for a drug dealer's), killed her in a barrage of 39 bullets when she met them with a rusty old revolver, left her handcuffed to bleed to death in her living room while they planted marijuana in her basement, then threatened an informant to lie about the whole thing so they could cover up their mistakes.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

U.S. District Judge Julie Carnes sentenced former officer Gregg Junnier to six years in prison, Jason Smith to 10 years in prison and Arthur Tesler to 5 years in prison.

Junnier and Tesler had faced 10 years under sentencing guidelines, while Smith faced 12.

By comparison, Ryan Frederick—the Chesapeake, Virginia man who says he mistakenly fired one shot that struck and killed a police officer during a drug raid on his home—received a 10-year sentence. Cory Maye, who also mistakenly shot and killed a cop during a botched drug raid, is still in prison for the rest of his life.