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Calls for charges for officer in deacon's death
The city of Atlanta has agreed to pay millions of dollars after a man died during a confrontation with a police officer last year. The family of church deacon Johnny Hollman sued the city after his death last year.
ATLANTA - The city of Atlanta is paying up big time after a man died during a confrontation with a police officer last year. The $3.8 million settlement was approved by Atlanta city leaders this week.
"The city of Atlanta, to quote Spike Lee, did the right thing," said Harold Spence, partner at Davis Bozeman Law Firm.
While nothing will bring back Deacon Johnny Hollman, his family’s attorney says Atlanta's big payout is something, but their big focus is seeing criminal charges filed in the case.
The incident surrounding the settlement happened last August. Investigators say Hollman got into a wreck. When an Atlanta police officer responded and tried to issue a citation, police say the 62-year-old refused to sign the ticket and grew uncooperative and agitated, asking for a supervisor. Officer Kiran Kimbrough used his Taser and, ultimately, Hollman died at the hospital.
"It represented an acknowledgment that Deacon Hollman, contrary to initial reports, was not the architect of his own death, and it also recognized the city's responsibility for his death," Spence said.
"The amount was significant because it reflected the dimension of the harm that this officer's actions caused," Spence said.
The Atlanta Police Department fired Officer Kimbrough.
WARNING: The police body camera video could be disturbing to some viewers.
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RAW: Tasing of Johnny Hollman
Atlanta Police Department has released the raw body cam footage of the tasing and arrest of 62-year-old Atlanta deacon Johnny Hollman. WARNING: This video is graphic. Please do not watch if you are sensitive to foul language or violence.
Since the incident, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens says the policy has changed on how minor traffic crashes are handled and officers are now ordered to not arrest drivers who refuse to sign tickets.
"We think that it's notable that no citizen will ever have to undergo the indignity of an arrest for merely receiving a traffic citation," Spence said.
With a settlement in hand, the family now wants the former officer to face criminal charges along with a tow truck driver who they say got involved in the arrest.
"While they are relieved that this fight is over, they are equally engaged in moving forward to make sure that these two wrongdoers are criminally prosecuted," Spence said.
The family’s attorney told FOX 5 they will reach out to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for an update on a possible criminal case.
FOX 5 also reached out, but we have not heard back.