Court dismisses suit against APD
The federal appeals court in Atlanta has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed against the city of Atlanta and a number of police officers by a man who said police asked him to participate in a cover up of the shooting of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston.
Alexis White's lawsuit accused police of falsely imprisoning him and violating his civil rights. But the court ruled White failed to prove a conspiracy between the corrupt officers who participated in the illegal raid of Johnston's Neal Street home and the officer who later detained and interviewed him.
Days after the shooting, White came forward to say he was a longtime informant and that police had asked him to lie and say he bought drugs at the Neal Street address. Instead, he called authorities and exposed the renegade cops, many of whom were later convicted.
About the Author
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.
