Body Cam Footage Released in Police Tasing Death of Atlanta Deacon

Body camera footage of a 62-year-old deacon who died in August after an Atlanta cop tased and handcuffed him during a traffic stop following a car accident was released Wednesday morning by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens released a statement on the incident between Johnny Hollman and Officer Kiran Kimbrough, writing, “The video will be difficult to watch for many people, especially the family of Mr. Hollman.” Mawuli Davis, a lawyer for Hollman’s family, said they were appreciative that Willis “has taken this important step to ensure transparency” and said the footage would show that Hollman was nonviolent during the interaction. In the video, Hollman tells Kimbrough that he wasn’t at fault for the crash. “You’re not going to scream at me… Now you’re either going to sign the ticket or you’re going to jail,” Kimbrough replies. He grabs hold of Hollman, appearing to cause a struggle that ends with him pushing the deacon to the ground. Kimbrough later yells that he is going to tase Hollman, who tells the officer, “I can’t breathe,” several times before becoming unresponsive. Afterward Kimbrough calls medics, saying, “I think he passed out on me.” Hollman was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.