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FinalCall.com News
National News
Justice demanded in police killing of 92-year-old woman
By Olimatta Taal
Updated Dec 12, 2006 - 11:53:00 PM
ATLANTA (FinalCall.com) - After 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston was laid to rest November 28, hundreds of angry supporters gathered in front of the home of the slain grandmother to protest her brutal killing by Atlanta police.
The police entered Ms. Johnston’s home Nov. 21 with a warrant allegedly looking for drugs. The ensuing shootout left three officers wounded and Ms. Johnston dead. According to the police, the drug raid was prompted by a tip from an informant. But the informant has since claimed that the officers asked him to lie and that he did not buy drugs at her home. The informant is now in protective federal custody.
Organized by the New Black Panther Party (NBPP) and its national chairman Attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz, a town hall meeting was held after the protest to address the issues and demand justice. Demonstrators marched from Ms. Johnston’s home to Lindsay Street Baptist Church where State Representative Mable Thomas facilitated the town hall meeting.
Over 500 people attended, representing different organizations, religions leaders and concerned individuals in the community. People were given the opportunity to vent their frustration, anger and fear as a result of not only the shooting of Ms. Johnston, but also the police killing of 13 Black people in DeKalb County.
“Thirteen of our Black Brothers and Sisters have been gunned down in DeKalb County and now the virus is spreading. The Atlanta region is the most dangerous region for police murders and police brutality than any other region right now,” argued Atty. Shabazz.
Mayor Shirley Franklin and Police Chief Richard Pennington attempted to address questions and concerns, but no feasible solutions or explanations could be given in response to the bloodthirsty behavior of Atlanta police. Chief Pennington has asked the FBI, Georgia Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate the shooting.
All the officers involved in the shooting are on paid leave, which is a major concern of the New Black Panther Party.
“Whenever there is a controversy over a police committing murder, the officer should be suspended without pay,” insisted NBPP Chief-of-Staff Hashim Nzinga.
Simultaneous to Atlanta’s town hall meeting, a similar meeting took place in DeKalb County to address the 13 Blacks murdered by DeKalb County Police. After careful strategy and planning with members of the New Black Panther Party, Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and other concerned community leaders formed the Coalition for Justice Against Police Murders in DeKalb County (CJAPMDC).
The following night, Min. Hashim organized and hosted a “Stop The DeKalb County Police Killings” forum at The Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts to discuss community solutions. The standing room-only gathering provided the opportunity to bring together lawyers like Chokwe Lumumba, King Downing and Malik Zulu Shabazz with community activists, residents and family members of murdered victims.
“I hate to be here under these terrible circumstance. There is a reason why we are here. There is a reason why Ibrahim Muhammad was killed. There is a reason why Lorenzo Mathews at the age of 21, leaving his birthday party, was gunned down in DeKalb County. There is a reason why Nigel Smith was beaten with a baton and pepper sprayed,” explains Iffat Muhammad, sister of slain Ibrahim Muhammad.
Among the solutions discussions included the launching of a federal investigation into all police-related shootings in DeKalb County, the resignation of DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones and the need for community involvement and monitoring of the police.
A national call to action and protest against police murders and police brutality was also scheduled for December 10 in the city.
