Johnny Hollman death: Family files lawsuit against Atlanta, former officer
Family of Atlanta deacon killed during traffic stop files suit
The killing of Johnny Holloman , who was on his way home from Bible study when he was pulled over by a police office, has now reached a new level with his family filing a lawsuit against the city of Atlanta and the police officer. What the family of 62-year-old deacon said during a press conference Thursday.
ATLANTA - The family of a Georgia church deacon who died during a confrontation with a police officer after a minor car crash filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in the Northern District of Georgia today.
Attorneys say their lawsuit aims to not only compensate the Hollman family for the wrongful death but change the culture at the Atlanta Police Department that allowed the death to happen.
The Hollman family says it has had a hard time adjusting to its new normal of life without their father and grandfather.
The Davis Bozeman Law Firm filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Atlanta, Police Chief Darin Schierbaum and former officer Kiran Kimbrough Thursday in the Northern District of Georgia for the wrongful death of Johnny Hollman.
Several organizations were on hand during a press conference, including the NAACP and the Southern Center for Human Rights, which called this death part of a deadly APD culture of police brutality.
The 63-page lawsuit dedicated 20 pages to 20 years of what they call "widespread patterns of excessive force and inadequate investigations that follow and create a culture that treats black people like deacon Hollman, inhumanely.
The attorneys say they want justice for the Hollman family, but they also want the department to correct its police brutality problem.
"While the chief, the city council and the mayor's hand was not on that taser, their fingerprints are all over it. While they did not stand over the top of deacon Hollman as he took his last breath, they were there because they created the culture that allowed this officer to believe his conduct would go unpunished," Attorney Mawali Davis explained.
The family is still waiting to hear from Fulton County DA Fani Willis about possible criminal charges against former officer Kimbrough and a tow truck driver who got involved in the arrest. The family says they met with Willis on the eve of Thanksgiving and have not heard anything since then.
FOX 5 reached out to Mayor Andre Dicken's office to get reaction to this criticism.
A spokesman for the mayor shared this statement.
"While we cannot comment on pending litigation, the Hollman family remains in the Mayor’s prayers.
When the incident occurred, the Mayor immediately directed a top-to-bottom review of the SOP’s involved in the interaction, as well as training curriculum.
WHAT HAPPENED TO JOHNNY HOLLMAN
Relatives say 62-year-old Johnny Hollman was driving home from Bible study at his daughter’s house and taking dinner to his wife when he collided with another vehicle while turning across a busy street just west of downtown Atlanta.
Atlanta police Officer Kiran Kimbrough responded to the crash, and he quickly decided Hollman was to blame. Hollman insisted he had done nothing wrong, but Kimbrough ordered him to sign a traffic ticket. The argument eventually turned into a tussle.
In a body cam video released months after the incident, a frustrated Hollman argues with the officer, saying he wasn't at fault in the accident.
"You're not going to scream at me. You understand what I'm telling you? Now you're either going to sign the ticket or you're going to go to jail," Officer Kiran Kimbrough tells Hollman.
While repeating "sign the ticket," Kimbrough tries to grab onto Hollman, leading to what appeared to be a struggle, and ends with the officer forcing the 62-year-old man to the ground.
In the video, Hollman repeatedly says "I can’t breathe," and Kimbrough uses a Taser to shock him.
After Hollman went silent, Kimbrough called for medics saying "I think he passed out on me."
ACTIVISTS, RAPPER CALL FOR CHARGES AGAINST OFFICER, TOW TRUCK DRIVER
WARNING: The police body camera video could be disturbing to some viewers.
The Atlanta grandfather was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy determined that Hollman’s death was a homicide, with heart disease a contributing factor.
Kimbrough was fired on Oct. 10, 2023, after Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the officer violated department policy when he didn’t wait until a supervisor arrived to arrest Hollman. Kimbrough’s attorney Lance LoRusso has said the officer did nothing wrong and has appealed his dismissal.
Hollman's family has been calling for Kimbrough to be arrested and charged in his death. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has completed its inquiry into Hollman’s death and has turned its file over to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who will decide whether to pursue charges.
The family had previously filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a tow truck driver who arrived at the scene, accusing him of being negligent or reckless, and of causing or contributing to the physical injuries that Hollman suffered before dying. The family is asking for a jury trial and wants unspecified damages against the driver and S&W Services of Atlanta, his employer.
DEACON JOHNNY HOLLMAN'S FAMILY WANTS TOW TRUCK DRIVER CHARGED WITH MURDER
Hollman's family and their attorneys are expected to hold a press conference about the new lawsuit on Thursday afternoon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.