Feds plan review of Habersham drug raid
The U.S. Attorney’s office said Tuesday they are mulling federal charges against the law enforcement officers who participated in a botched drug raid that left a toddler disfigured.
On Monday, a Habersham County grand jury, despite labeling the investigation "hurried and sloppy," declined to indict any of the officers involved in both the planning and execution of the raid.
“Federal authorities have been participating in the investigation of this terrible incident, and now that a state grand jury has declined to return an indictment, we will review the matter for possible federal charges,” United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said.
Bounkham “Bou Bou” Phonesavanh’s nose was detached from his face after a stun grenade, lobbed by a member of the Habersham SWAT team serving a no-knock warrant on a suspected drug dealer, landed in the 19-month-old’s playpen while he slept.
“This is unbelievable to me,” said Bounkham Phonesavanh, the boy’s father. “I just don’t understand how or why the grand jury would not charge any of these officers for what they did to us. It hurts me to see my family suffer like this and for them to do nothing.”
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About the Author
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.
