Fulton County Superior Court Judge Wendy Shoob dismissed a police union's request that she block a citizen's review board's investigation of two shootings by officers.
The Atlanta Police Department on Monday turned over to Atlanta's Citizen Review Board documents pertaining to the 2006 killing of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston, who died in a illegal and botched police raid on her house, and of the 2008 killing of an unarmed robbery suspect, Pierre George.
The International Brotherhood of Police Officers had filed a lawsuit to block the transfer of the documents.
The union's lawyer, David Beall, said the judge should order the return of the documents, which he said should not be turned over until after the APD completes its internal investigation of the officers.
"The release of these documents could jeopardize the integrity of the investigation and the officers' rights," Beall said. "The DA's office is still investigating this and there may be criminal charges brought."
Shoob was unpersuaded and questioned why the police department had not conducted its internal investigation in cases that were as old as three years.
Beall said it was the department's policy to delay investigation if the shootings were also being investigated District Attorney Paul Howard or the U.S. Attorney's office.
