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Jury: Officer Lied In Death Of Woman, 92

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The Associated Press

Published: May 21, 2008

ATLANTA - A jury on Tuesday convicted an Atlanta police officer of lying to investigators after a drug raid that resulted in the death of a 92-year-old woman, but cleared him of two more serious charges.

After deliberating for parts of four days, the jury convicted Arthur Tesler of making false statements. He was acquitted of charges that he violated his oath of a public officer and false imprisonment under color of legal process. Tesler faces up to five years in prison.

Plainclothes narcotics officers burst into Kathryn Johnston's northwest Atlanta home on Nov. 21, 2006, using a special "no-knock" warrant to search for drugs. Johnston fired a single bullet at the invaders, and they responded with a hail of 39 bullets.

Tesler, 42, was the only officer involved to face a jury on charges related to the raid. Officers, Jason R. Smith and Gregg Junnier, have pleaded guilty to state manslaughter and federal civil rights charges.

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