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92-Year-Old Atlantan Murdered in Police Raid
Radley Balko, the Agitator, is covering the latest present day example of how you and I are living in a police state. The case? Atlanta police had an undercover buyer purchase drugs at the home of a 92-year-old woman who, appparently, rarely ever left her house. Note that the buyer purchased the drugs from a man, and this mystery seller remains at large.
Follow up:
From this WSBTV article:
Three Atlanta police officers were shot and wounded and an elderly woman killed at a house in northwest Atlanta Tuesday night.
The woman, who relatives say was 92-years-old, opened fire on the officers from the narcotics division at a house at 933 Neal Street, according to officials. Authorities say they received a tip of drug activity taking place at the home and officers were headed to the house with a search warrant.
Relatives identified the elderly woman as Katherine Johnston.
The woman's niece, Sarah Dozier, says that she bought her aunt a gun to protect herself and that her aunt had a permit for the gun. Relatives believe Johnston was frightened by the officers and opened fire.
"They kicked her door down talking about drugs, there's no drugs in that house. And they realize now, they've got the wrong house," Dozier said. "I'm mad as hell." Officials say they had the correct house and that the warrant they had was legal.
This is inexcusable. Though Balko notes that his primary gripe is with everything up until shots were fired, I disagree. Every aspect of this incident smacks of the growing police state in which we live. That anyone should back down when multiple people, unprovoked and unexpectedly, bust open your door simply because their shirt says "POLICE" is absurd. Drugs? Please. Even if drug dealing was involved, you still are faced with a state that exacts violence on those who engage in consensual acts.
The Johnston case is exactly why "no knock" raids are unconscionable. They encourage violence. It's "Shoot first. Ask questions later." as policy. If you're right, "guilty" individuals, as defined by ridiculous laws, may die. If you're wrong, innocent, private individuals who defend themselves against attacks may die.
There is no justification.
Other links at The Agitator: