Monday, November 27th, 2006
The AJC reports today that Chief Pennington has now confirmed that it was a confidential informant, not an undercover police officer, who purchased some sort of drugs from a man named “Sam” just hours before the raid.
Let’s give Pennington some credit, too. He also said the city will reevaluate its use of no-knock warrants, confidential informants, and dynamic entry. That’s good to hear. It’ll be even better if the city implements actual reforms.
A few questions in light of this new information:
Have police talked to the informant since the raid? Have they shown him Johnston’s house to confirm that that is indeed the house where he made the buy?
Did police conduct any corroborating investigation in the hours between the buy and the raid? Did police make any attempt to see who lived in the house, and if that person was actually dangerous?
Did they drive the informant by the house to get a confirmation before conducting the raid, or did they rely on a physical description or written address?
Why can’t we see the warrant and affidavits with the name of the informant redacted?
What type and quantity of drugs did the informant buy from “Sam?” What made police think there would be a supply inside that house large enough to merit a dangerous no-knock warrant and forced entry raid?
What evidence of exigent circumstances did police cite in obtaining the no-knock warrant? Why did they use forced entry?
Where in the home was the marijuana found? How much was found?
Is it acceptable police policy in Atlanta to conduct a forced-entry drug raid based solely on the word of a confidential informant? Is that what happened here? If so, what will the city do to make sure it doesn’t happen again? If such tactics are acceptable policy, will the city now make changes to that policy?
We were first told that an undercover officer made the buy. Now we learn it was an informant. We were first told that Johnston began firing before police entered. We were then told police knocked and announced before entering. Then that they announced, but didn’t knock. Then that they announced as they were entering. Why does the police account of events keep changing?
This entry was posted
on Monday, November 27th, 2006 at 9:44 am by Radley Balko
and is filed under Police Militarization.
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