‘Breakdown’ S07 Ep. 3: ‘Impervious to pain, superhuman strength’
Charged with murder, Robert “Chip” Olsen turned to a risky defense strategy.
The former DeKalb County cop tried to get the charges dismissed before the trial began in an immunity hearing.
The upside? If he won he would no longer face life in prison. But if lost? He had testified under oath and that testimony could be used against him in his trial.
The 57-year-old Olsen, charged with killing an unarmed US. Air Force veteran, had one of the state’s top trial lawyers arguing his case. But he was going up against an aggressive prosecutor with a penchant for courtroom theatrics.
In the third episode of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s award-winning podcast ‘Breakdown’ we take you inside the heated courtroom battle that tests the limits of police use of force. You’ll have the rare opportunity to hear from a police officer on his decision to pull the trigger.
“Impervious to Pain, Superhuman Strength” goes live Tuesday. It’s the latest installment in the seventh season of Breakdown: Judgment Call.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s legal affairs writer, Bill Rankin, is back Breakdown’s host. He’s joined by public safety reporter, Christian Boone. And this season we are partnering with WSB-Radio.
You can download the podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify or your favorite podcasting platform. Or you can stream it on your computer in the player below.
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About the Authors
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
