The family of an elderly church deacon who was tased to death by an Atlanta police officer and their lawyers are speaking out after being awarded a multi-million dollar settlement for the egregious instance of yet another member of law enforcement killing an unarmed Black driver.
It was announced on Monday that the City of Atlanta would pay the family of Johnny Hollman Sr. nearly $4 million stemming from a dispute over a traffic ticket from a minor car crash last summer. Hollman allegedly told Officer Kiran Kimbrough “I can’t breathe” multiple times while being tased.
Johnny Hollman Sr. settlement with Atlanta
The family was awarded $3.8 million after a unanimous vote for that amount by the Atlanta City Council, WSB-TV reported.
The settlement was welcomed by Hollman’s family and their lawyers.
“On behalf of my siblings and our entire family, we want to thank all the people across Atlanta who have supported us in our fight for justice for our father,” Arnitra Hollman, the deacon’s daughter said in a statement sent to NewsOne. “The students, clergy, organizers, and artists who prayed, marched, and stood with us have been a true blessing. We are grateful that Mayor Dickens and the City Council have brought closure to this part of our fight for justice. We will continue to demand arrests of those responsible for our father’s death.”
Attorney Mawuli Davis, who was instrumental in securing the release of video of the incident, pushed for Kimbrough to be charged with murder and credited the role Atlanta residents played in reaching the settlement.
“Today’s resolution allows this family to focus on healing from the devastating and senseless loss of their beloved father. This could only have been resolved with the support of the community,” Davis, founding partner of Davis Bozeman Johnson Law, said in a statement. “The people stood with this courageous family. Deacon Hollman was a son of Atlanta who loved this city, and his family has been fighting for the City to acknowledge that what happened to him should not have. While this part of their struggle is coming to a close, this fight for justice will not end until criminal charges are levied “
What happened to Johnny Hollman Sr.?
According to the family, on Aug. 10, Hollman had just finished bible study when he left his daughter’s home and was on the way home to take his wife to dinner.
Shortly after he was involved in a minor car accident and called 911. After waiting for over an hour, Officer Kimbrough arrived on the scene to assess the situation. Kimbrough decided that Hollman was at fault and issued him a traffic ticket. Upset, Hollman asked to speak to Kimbrough’s sergeant and the officer ignored him, telling him if he didn’t sign the ticket he would be taken to jail. Hollman’s family says he told Officer Kimbrough he would sign the ticket, but the officer still grabbed him, took him to the ground and began tasing him.
Hollman also allegedly told the officer “I can’t breathe” as many as 16 times.
Hollman became unresponsive and was later pronounced dead at Grady Hospital.
Kimbrough, who is Black, has claimed he employed the stun gun after Hollman “became agitated and uncooperative.” Kimbrough was placed on administrative leave before being fired in October.
In November, the Fulton County District Attorney’s office released body camera footage that shows what led up to the fatal encounter.
Monday’s settlement came months after Hollman’s family sued Kimbrough and the City of Atlanta in a lawsuit demanding accountability.
Hollman’s family fought for months to get the bodycam video released before the DA’s office, the GBI and the city of Atlanta finally agreed, which they said they did in the interest of transparency.
Following the settlement, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens vowed to bring change to the Atlanta Police Department.
“My thoughts remain with the Hollman family, and while nothing can undo what has been done, my priority was to get this family as close to full closure from this unfortunate tragedy as soon as possible,” Dickens said in a statement. “Significant changes to procedures following the incident have been made, which include the new CARES unit—whose first members’ training should conclude next month.”
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