ATLANTA — A jury in Fulton County has found a former Atlanta police officer not guilty on all charges after shooting and killing an 18-year-old who was stealing his unmarked police car from a gas station.
The jury deliberated for over four hours over whether the officer’s life was in danger when he pulled the trigger.
According to prosecutors, Oliver Simmonds, who was off duty at the time, became upset when he saw 18-year-old D’Ettrick Griffin trying to steal his unmarked patrol car from a gas station in southwest Atlanta in 2019.
Simmonds admitted to firing twice into the car, killing Griffin. He is charged with felony murder and aggravated assault.
In February, a judge denied his motion for immunity.