Former DeKalb County officer pleads guilty in 2015 shooting of unarmed veteran

Yahoo

5 days ago

The Brief
Robert Olsen, a former DeKalb County police officer, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in the 2015 shooting of unarmed veteran Anthony Hill, who was experiencing a mental health crisis.
Olsen was sentenced to 15 years, with 12 years commuted to time served and the remainder on probation, along with 100 hours of community service.
The guilty plea concludes a lengthy legal process, with Olsen accepting responsibility for his actions, providing some closure to Hill's family.
DECATUR, Ga. - A former DeKalb County police officer has pleaded guilty in the 2015 fatal shooting of an unarmed U.S. Air Force veteran who was experiencing a mental health crisis.
What we know
On Wednesday, Robert Olsen, 63, entered a negotiated guilty plea to a single count of aggravated assault in the shooting death of Anthony Hill, 26, who was killed on March 9, 2015.
The backstory
Olsen had been dispatched to an apartment complex on Chamblee Tucker Road following several 911 calls reporting a man behaving erratically. When he arrived, he encountered Hill, who was naked, unarmed, and wandering the complex. Investigators said Hill ran toward Olsen with his arms outstretched as the officer approached in his patrol vehicle.
Olsen exited his car, drew his weapon, and ordered Hill to stop. When Hill did not comply, Olsen fired two shots, striking Hill in the neck and chest. Hill died at the scene. Olsen later claimed he acted in self-defense, stating that Hill had attacked him—an account prosecutors said was false.
In 2019, a DeKalb County jury convicted Olsen on charges of aggravated assault, two counts of violation of oath by a public officer, and making a false statement. He appealed the assault conviction and one of the oath violations, arguing the trial court erred by allowing the jury to consider the DeKalb County Police Department's use-of-force policy.
The Georgia Court of Appeals overturned those two convictions but upheld the others. While it barred a retrial on the violation of oath charge, it allowed prosecutors to retry the aggravated assault count. The Georgia Supreme Court later declined to hear the case, clearing the way for a resolution.
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What they're saying
"It has been more than a decade since Anthony Hill's life was cut tragically short," said DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston. "Defendant Olsen's guilty plea brings this long, arduous chapter to a close and through it he has finally accepted some responsibility for his actions. We hope this plea provides [Hill's family] some peace."
What's next
Following Wednesday's guilty plea, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson sentenced Olsen to 15 years, with 12 years commuted to time served and the remainder to be served on probation. He was also ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. His 2019 convictions for making a false statement and the remaining violation of oath charge remain intact.
The Source
The details in this article were provided by the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office.