ATLANTA — A Fulton County grand jury has declined to bring criminal charges against a former Atlanta police officer in connection with the death of a local grandfather in 2023.
An official says the Fulton County DA’s office Monday presented a proposed indictment of former officer Kiran Kimbrough in connection with the 2023 death of Johnny Hollman in the aftermath of a traffic stop.
Monday afternoon Fulton County Superior Court Clerk Che Alexander confirmed to Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne a grand jury declined to charge Kimbrough for involuntary manslaughter, simple battery and two counts of violation of oath of office.
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Hollman, 62, died in 2023 after Kimbrough used a Taser on him.
An autopsy found Hollman died as a result of Kimbrough’s force.
Atlanta police released body camera footage that captured Hollman refusing to sign a ticket and requesting to speak with a supervisor. In the video, Kimbrough wrestles Hollman to the ground and uses his Taser on him.
Anitra Hollman, the daughter of Johnny Hollman, testified before the grand jury, the family said in a statement late Monday afternoon.
Attorney Manny Arora, who told Channel 2 he is not involved in the Kimbrough case, says under Georgia law police officers have the option of speaking to a grand jury considering charges about his or her on-duty actions
“The have a right at the end of the state’s presentation to testify. They can be questioned by the grand jury and or the prosecutor during that time,” he said.
Arora said it “absolutely” makes a difference.
“We’ve used this on several unrelated cases and all of those have been no-billed based on the evidence we were able to present,” he said.
Johnny Hollman was a grandfather and church deacon.
Hollman family attorney Rob Bozeman said Hollman repeatedly asked for a supervisor in a dispute over whether he would sign a traffic ticket for a wreck in which he was involved, a dispute which escalated into then-officer Kimbrough tasing Hollman, who was pronounced dead that night at a hospital.
In 2023, Fulton county’s chief medical examiner Dr. Karen Sullivan said an autopsy found Hollman died after his heart rhythm was disrupted as a result of being stunned by an Atlanta police Taser in combination with high blood pressure and coronary artery disease, a type of heart disease, with his COPD and diabetes as other contributing factors.
In January 2024, Hollman’s family filed a federal lawsuit over his death, and about five months later, the Atlanta City Council approved a $3.8 million settlement with the family.
“The family’s reaction to the no-bill? The family’s obviously devastated,” Bozeman said. “They thought today would be a step in the direction of accountability.”
Late Monday afternoon, Winne got a statement from one of Kimbrough’s attorneys, Lance LoRusso: “Officer Kimbrough is appreciative that the grand jury was able to see the truth of this matter. While Johnny Hollman’s death was tragic, in no way did Kiran Kimbrough cause the death of Johnny Hollman. Johnny Hollman‘s death was caused by medical complications and his felonious, unlawful resistance of a uniformed officer performing his lawful duties.”
The family also issued a statement late Monday afternoon: “We are devastated. Our father should still be here. The failure to hold this officer accountable is another painful reminder of how little value is placed on his life by some citizens—even when the facts are clear and the harm is undeniable. But we will not stop. Our faith and our fight for justice will not waver.”
Attorney Mawuli Davis, who represents the Hollman family, issued the following statement: “This is a profoundly sad day—not only for the Hollman family, but for all who believe in justice. Despite video evidence, the unwavering courage of this family, and the thorough effort by the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, the criminal justice system has once again failed to hold law enforcement accountable for the death of a citizen. Deacon Johnny Hollman deserved better. This moment also underscores how far the fight for police accountability in this country has regressed since the uprisings of the summer of 2020. We will continue to stand with the Hollman family, and we call on the citizens of Atlanta to do the same. This is not the end of the fight for justice.”
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