UPDATE: I see you-all are doing a fine job keeping this story alive.
THE VICTIM: The only major fact of this case to change in the last few days is the age of the victim: some unidentified public records indicate she was 88, and the local new is now giving this as her age, while the victim’s family and friends, including an 87-year old neighbor, all still maintain Kathryn Johnston was, in fact, 92. The allegation that she only fired once at police is in some dispute. FWIW, this allegation doesn’t quite square with my own recollections: I was admittedly half asleep, but I swear I heard a short burst of five or six shots, engulfed and then immediately followed by a long hail of gunfire. Forensics evidence may still be forthcoming. A placard by the New Black Panther Party (rather outrageously) claims the victim was shot at 130 times. In contrast, Amadou Diallo was shot at by NYPD 41 times.
THE VICTIM’S FAMILY: Have maintained public silence since the incident, even during the funeral: there will likely follow a civil lawsuit. It is widely reported that the family was going to “sue somebody.” Both Fulton County and nearby Dekalb county are engaged in lawsuits alleging other instances of police brutality.
THE COPS: There are currently a total of seven narcotics officers and a sergaent on paid suspension while the facts leading to, during and in the aftermath of the shooting are looked into, which is standard for police investigations. The case NOW involves the APD, Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the FBI.
Most of the initial information coming to light isn’t very flattering for the police involved. I also note no serious attempt is being made to involve the public in finding the identity of the 6 foot, 230 pound drug dealer “Sam” who allegedly sold the two bags of crack cocaine that prompted this raid in the first place, a sale that supposedly was made to a known police informant who has worked with the department for four years. The sale was allegely made using $50 in public funds.
THE INFORMANT: The 24-year old informant – who has a fairly lengthy history of petty drug arrests for street-level trafficking – contacted a TV station and insists he was not at the house, did not ever buy drugs there, and was asked to lie by the officers in the shooting to cover their asses. FWIW, this account tends to support the physical evidence of the crime scene in which no narcotic drugs, computer equipment, surveillance cameras or large quantities of cash were found. So far, nothing has been said about finding contrary witnesses or any DNA evidence belonging to the informant at the crime scene. A TV report alleges that the police shooters used a private radio signal at the scene that, unlike police radios, didn’t record what was said. (WAG: If a signal can be traced to a cell phone call to a cell phone transmitter to the informant’s cell phone, that would corroborate the informant’s claim.) Right now the informant is in protective custody – most probably with the GBI or FBI. He may be able to give credible information on a number of other cases.
THE COMMUNITY: Police are keeping a higher than usual visibility in the neighborhood; car patrols have increased; the police are more responsive to citisen calls; the homeless are being shooed away from the area; there’s been a round-the-clock police presence at the site of the shooting and a steady crowd of well-wishers and activists visiting the home.
Local activists include the Rev. Markal Hutchins and the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense. There’s been a anti-police brutallity rally, a march, a mass meeting and the funeral. More rallies are being planned fror next week.