In a recent ruling, the Board has decided not to alter the discipline previously imposed on Officer K. Kimbrough following his termination in connection with the death of deacon Johnny Hollman during an arrest.
The officer had no prior law enforcement experience before joining the Atlanta Police Department in March 2021.
At the time of his firing, Kimbrough had an existing disciplinary history, which included a one-day suspension for a vehicle crash and reprimands resulting from three separate complaints from residents, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
After Kimbrough’s termination, his attorney, Lance LoRusso, issued a statement asserting that Kimbrough denied any wrongdoing.
“Officer K. Kimbrough vehemently denies any wrongdoing or policy violations in connection with the investigation, detention and arrest of Mr. Johnny Hollman,” LoRusso stated.
Kimbrough plans to appeal his termination, which he claims was based on a failure to call for a supervisor when Mr. Hollman refused to sign a lawfully issued citation, a duty he asserts he was legally obligated to perform.
Investigators noted that Hollman was found to be the at-fault driver in a crash and became agitated when Kimbrough attempted to cite him.
According to the police report, Hollman was driving his Chevrolet pickup truck north on Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard and attempted a left turn onto Cunningham Place, colliding with another vehicle that was turning right onto the boulevard.
Hollman is alleged to have made the turn too sharply, resulting in the crash with the other vehicle.
Kimbrough responded to the scene after Hollman and the other driver called 911.
Hollman reportedly requested to speak with a supervisor, but Kimbrough continued with the arrest process, as indicated by Hollman’s family.
Kimbrough then deployed a Taser on Hollman, who was subsequently handcuffed with assistance from a witness.
At that moment, Kimbrough noticed that Hollman was unresponsive, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
Hollman was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Grady Memorial Hospital.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Hollman’s death as a homicide, attributing it to a combination of the officer’s Taser use and pre-existing heart disease.
The autopsy report indicated that Hollman was “unresponsive from the time that the energy device was deployed.”
Additionally, underlying conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and obesity were determined to have contributed to Hollman’s death.
Released body camera footage from Atlanta Police in November 2023 reveals the entire encounter.
In the footage, Kimbrough can be seen grabbing Hollman’s arm while insisting, “Sign the ticket.”
Hollman replied, “OK. I’m going to sign the ticket,” but Kimbrough then appears to push him to the ground, threatening to use his Taser.
Hollman can be heard pleading, “I can’t breathe,” prior to the struggle concluding with Hollman appearing to lose consciousness, as shown in the video.
Following the incident, the APD amended its policies, directing officers not to arrest drivers for refusing to sign traffic citations, stating they would now simply note “refusal to sign” on the ticket.
In January 2024, Hollman’s family initiated a federal lawsuit over his death, alleging civil rights violations against the city of Atlanta, Chief Schierbaum, and Kimbrough.
By May, the Atlanta City Council approved a $3.8 million settlement with Hollman’s family.
The family has continued to advocate for Kimbrough to face criminal prosecution; however, no charges have yet been filed against him.
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