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Post by Police Moderator on Feb 25, 2009 4:33:16 GMT -5
Ex-Atlanta cops get prison for drug raid killing
Judge says police department quotas put excess pressure on officers
By BILL RANKIN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monday, February 23, 2009 A federal judge who sent three fallen cops to prison for a notorious drug raid that left an elderly woman dead said Tuesday that Atlanta Police Department performance quotas unduly influenced the officers’ behavior. “It is my fervent hope the Atlanta Police Department will take to heart what has happened here,” U.S. District Judge Julie Carnes said. At the close of an emotional two-day hearing, Carnes sentenced former officers Gregg Junnier, Jason R. Smith and Arthur Bruce Tesler to between 5 and 10 years in prison. At the hearing, Tesler’s lawyer provided examples of other Atlanta police officers breaking the rules or violating the law and said a disturbing culture of misconduct pervades the force. Carnes imposed the most severe sentence — 10 years — on Smith, 36, who obtained the illegal, no-knock search warrant allowing officers to batter down 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston’s door. |
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Post by rstewart on Feb 25, 2009 7:42:16 GMT -5
I wonder how much time anyone else would have gotten had they broken down a 92 year old woman's door and killed her?
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BlackFox
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Post by BlackFox on Feb 25, 2009 8:57:36 GMT -5
A big part of the violence associated with drugs.
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duke
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Post by duke on Feb 25, 2009 10:45:24 GMT -5
“The three officers were members of a squad with free rein to operate in a netherworld of drugs, criminals and danger. The rules and truth were measured on a sliding, situational scale.” “It laid bare the corruption of an out-of-control narcotics squad that lied to get search warrants and planted drugs on suspects. “This time, Smith had authored the trumped-up affidavit. For all three, it was business as usual.” www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories//2009/02/22/kathryn_johnston_sentencing.html“It is my fervent hope the Atlanta Police Department will take to heart what has happened here,” U.S. District Judge Julie Carnes said." Above When officers chafe under the rules of operations, remember that those rules are in place to keep each of you out of the position these three officers are in. |
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Scarlet&Gray
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Post by Scarlet&Gray on Feb 25, 2009 11:29:28 GMT -5
Sucks to be them.
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Post by Justin Thyme on Feb 25, 2009 18:40:52 GMT -5
My personal take is that any officer that went through Kathryn Johnston's door that night, knowing how the warrant was obtained, should have faced the same charges as someone would face for causing the death of someone during a home invasion. Laws were broken to obtain the warrant and anyone with the knowledge of that and still breaking through her door caused the death of someone during the commission of a crime.
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Post by Police Moderator on Feb 25, 2009 19:09:06 GMT -5
In Tennessee, if he had raped her, tortured her and then left her to die a slow death, he would have gotten "life". Since he is a first time offender, he would have had to serve 10% of life (65 years) meaning he would have to serve 6.5 years. Then he gets even more time off the 6.5 years for good behavior.
So to answer your question.... About 5 years.
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Post by rstewart on Feb 25, 2009 20:35:55 GMT -5
So if they had been sentenced in TN they would have gotten .5 years and 1 year respectively.
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TNBear
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Post by TNBear on Feb 25, 2009 20:44:38 GMT -5
"In Tennessee, if he had raped her, tortured her and then left her to die a slow death..."
Which they didn't, they shot her to death.
Your argument here is a fallacy. It didn't happen in Tennessee and had absolutely nothing to do with the scenario you state. If this is the extent of your debating skills I respectfully suggest you stick to being the moderator here.
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BlackFox
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Post by BlackFox on Feb 25, 2009 20:45:29 GMT -5
In Tennessee, if he had raped her, tortured her and then left her to die a slow death, he would have gotten "life". Since he is a first time offender, he would have had to serve 10% of life (65 years) meaning he would have to serve 6.5 years. Then he gets even more time off the 6.5 years for good behavior. So to answer your question.... About 5 years. I know you don't like me or my views, but seriously, why are we warehousing harmless marijuana users that cause no harm to anyone but themselves at most? By doing so, we are overcrowding our prisons and making necessary the early release of people who we could easily, and willingly, lock up for the rest of their killing, raping, robbing, lives. Is really so bad that it makes sense to release a murderer, in order to make room for an incoming MJ user? |
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Post by Police Moderator on Feb 25, 2009 20:49:02 GMT -5
Probably, unless they had Jerry Summers (He helped write the Tennessee Sentencing Guidelines) for an attorney, then they would have walked with "Time served".
These thugs also have the Georgia charges sentencing coming up. To be served consecutively (On top of the Federal sentence, so Blackfox doesn't have to look it up) to the Federal sentences
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Thanatos
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Post by Thanatos on Feb 25, 2009 20:50:29 GMT -5
I agree BF...but unfortunately the enforcers aren't the makers. The laws are amended or changed then passed down the line.
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BlackFox
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Post by BlackFox on Feb 25, 2009 21:02:41 GMT -5
I agree BF...but unfortunately the enforcers aren't the makers. The laws are amended or changed then passed down the line. Understood, but you guys are the "makers" spokesmen here, and I love this debate, because this is one of the few where I'm sure I'm right. |
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Post by Police Moderator on Feb 25, 2009 21:08:51 GMT -5
This is a forum where we speak for no one but ourselves, based on our life experiences and world view. A righteous thing than evidently pains the hell out of you, unless we happen to agree with you.
We are not the "makers" of a damn thing and we are no one's "spokesman".
Maybe if you would quit thinking that real life is an episode of "Cops", you would see the light at the end of the tunnel that wasn't a train.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2009 21:11:58 GMT -5
> Maybe if you would quit thinking that real life is an episode of "Cops" ...
WHAT?!?!?
Back to the old drawing board.
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Scarlet&Gray
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Post by Scarlet&Gray on Feb 25, 2009 22:30:12 GMT -5
Too bad they didn't go before the Chattanooga Grand Jury, they be home where they belong not enough evidence.
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Post by Police Moderator on Feb 26, 2009 6:47:50 GMT -5
This Freeman thing is just killin' ya, ain't it? If you had added a donut reference, you would have won the Daily Police Blotter Trifecta.
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BlackFox
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Post by BlackFox on Feb 26, 2009 8:16:21 GMT -5
This is a forum where we speak for no one but ourselves, based on our life experiences and world view. You're right, I was off base on that one. You guys tend to debate more from the laws side though, and I argue against laws that I disagree with. |
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Scarlet&Gray
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Post by Scarlet&Gray on Feb 26, 2009 13:17:39 GMT -5
Not in the least. I'm fortunate enough not to live in Chattanooga. Freeman seems to be a hands off chief, and it shows in the performance of some of his employees.
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Feb 26, 2009 15:05:50 GMT -5
"...why are we warehousing harmless marijuana users that cause no harm to anyone but themselves at most?"
How many examples do you need before you understand that marijuana is as dangerous as any other drug? Your continued insistence that weed somehow magically makes all the associated crime/violence of drug use go away is beyond naive.
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BlackFox
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Post by BlackFox on Feb 26, 2009 18:54:36 GMT -5
"...why are we warehousing harmless marijuana users that cause no harm to anyone but themselves at most?" How many examples do you need before you understand that marijuana is as dangerous as any other drug? Your continued insistence that weed somehow magically makes all the associated crime/violence of drug use go away is beyond naive. You haven't given ANY examples that have showed MJ as the cause of anything. I notice that you throw out cases where the perps were on MJ at the time, but when myself and others ask for causation, you tend to disappear. |
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BlackFox
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Post by BlackFox on Feb 26, 2009 18:56:18 GMT -5
Not in the least. I'm fortunate enough not to live in Chattanooga. Freeman seems to be a hands off chief, and it shows in the performance of some of his employees. You do know that there are 2 Freeman's, right? Det. Freeman shoved an old man. Chief Freeman is the absent boss. |
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Post by rstewart on Feb 26, 2009 19:13:57 GMT -5
"...why are we warehousing harmless marijuana users that cause no harm to anyone but themselves at most?" How many examples do you need before you understand that marijuana is as dangerous as any other drug? Your continued insistence that weed somehow magically makes all the associated crime/violence of drug use go away is beyond naive. Let's start one example, which you have yet to provide. NOTHING you say is going to make me believe that marijuana is even remotely as dangerous as alcohol. Alcohol is legal and marijuana isn't. That doesn't make alcohol less dangerous than MJ. Alcohol obviously has better lobbist than MJ. Otherwise it would be the other way around, alcohol would be illegal and MJ legal. |
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Scarlet&Gray
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Post by Scarlet&Gray on Feb 26, 2009 19:21:55 GMT -5
Yeah, I thought he was refering to the Chief. Both seem to have troubles in performing on the job imho. Like I said don't live in Compton er I mean nooga so I don't have a dog in the hunt. But when the video shows the det. pushin old dude down and that ain't enough evidence makes one ponder. Had it been a regular joe the plumber it's jail time.
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BlackFox
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Post by BlackFox on Feb 26, 2009 20:04:28 GMT -5
Yeah, I thought he was refering to the Chief. Both seem to have troubles in performing on the job imho. Like I said don't live in Compton er I mean nooga so I don't have a dog in the hunt. But when the video shows the det. pushin old dude down and that ain't enough evidence makes one ponder. Had it been a regular joe the plumber it's jail time. I agree with you, but just wanted to make sure you knew. |
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TNBear
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Post by TNBear on Feb 26, 2009 20:29:24 GMT -5
One cannot help but notice that our esteemed moderator did not respond to either my previous post or to Yoda's question above. This could lead the casual observer into thinking that PM is better at snarky remarks than actual debate.
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Police Moderator
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Post by Police Moderator on Feb 26, 2009 20:47:58 GMT -5
I must have missed the memo that I have to snarkily respond to each and every one of your inane posts or answer any poster's questions like "What?" in a distinguished and eloquent manner.
I know you pay my 6 figure salary on here and all, but even that has it's limits.
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Feb 27, 2009 10:43:49 GMT -5
"NOTHING you say is going to make me believe that marijuana is even remotely as dangerous as alcohol."
So why should I bother. Your time is already wasted.
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BlackFox
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Post by BlackFox on Feb 27, 2009 11:07:59 GMT -5
So why should I bother. Your time is already wasted. Translation: Got nothing. |
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Post by LimitedRecourse on Feb 27, 2009 17:29:07 GMT -5
Translation: A mind changed against it's will is of the same opinion still. I have presented several websites, news/magazine stories & personal accounts of people on only marijuana being violent, and the cause of the violence was marijuana. You go ahead and continue to stick with the "noone's ever OD'd on it, so it's harmless" schtick...it suits you quite well.
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