About The champion newspaper. (Decatur, GA) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 2019)
SECTION A: VOL 29* NO. 19 The Official Legal Organ ofDeKalb County, GA. Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Tucker, Stonecrest and Stone Mountain. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7 -13,2019 www.THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.com 50C Former officer sentenced to 20 years in death of unarmed man BY HORACE HOLLOMAN horace@dekalbchamp.com DeKalb County Superior Court Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson sentenced former DeKalb County Police officer Robert Olsen on Nov. 1 to 20 years after Olsen was convicted in the shooting death of an unarmed Air Force veteran. According to Jackson, Olsen will serve 12 years in custody and will serve the remaining eight years on probation. Olsen did not testify or offer a statement during his sentencing hearing. Olsen was found guilty on charges of aggravated assault, two counts of violation of oath by a public officer and making a false statement for actions resulting in the death of 26-year-old Anthony Hill. Olsen was indicted by a DeKalb County grand jury in 2016 for the shooting death of Hill in March of 2015. Hill was unarmed at the time. Family members of Hill said he was suffering from a mental health episode. Olsen’s defense argued Olsen feared for his life during the incident and shot Hill to protect himself. Olsen made false statements to cover up Carolyn Giummo, mother of Anthony Hill, speaks to the media after Robert Olsen is sentenced. his intent, including stating Hill was beating on his chest just before the shooting, prosecutors stated. An internal review board found that Olsen used excessive force against Hill. He resigned in 2016 after being indicted by a DeKalb County Grand Jury. Prosecutors requested that Olsen be sentenced to a maximum of 30 years with 25 years to serve in custody. “In listening to the evidence of this trial and reading all 73 pages and all 25 character witness letters, people may not recognize it, but Robert Olsen and Anthony Hill have a lot of similarities,” Jackson said. “They both love their community, both loved by their families and both SEE OLSEN ON PAGE 6 Short voting lines were seen at Avondale Estates city hall. Photos by Carla Parker DeKalb sees low numbers in early voting DeKalb County saw a low turnout for advance and absentee voting for the 2019 general municipal and special election. BY CARLA PARKER carla@dekalbchamp.com D espite several contested races for mayor and city council seats in all DeKalb County cities, the county saw a low turnout for advance and absentee voting for the 2019 general municipal and special election. According to DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections, a total of 7,886 registered voters participated in early voting (7,424) or sent in absentee ballots (462) between Oct. 14 and Nov. 1. More than 3,000 people voted at the Dunwoody early voting location, SEE VOTING ON PAGE 6 QUICK FINDER Opinion 5 Education 10-11 Business 13 Sports 15-16 Legal Ads 25 JACKSON DELIVERS FINAL STATE OF CITY ADDRESS PAGE 3 JAMAICAN FAMILY SAYS AT THEIR ISLAND RESTAURANT CHAIN PAGE 8 '641 1 6 00 01 o DEKALBCHAMPNEWS O DEKALBCHAMPNEWS (^DEKALBCHAMPNEWS
