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Trial to start for Georgia cop who shot naked, unarmed man


Now a jury must decide if he's guilty of murder.

Robert "Chip" Olsen, then a DeKalb County officer, fatally shot 27-year-old Anthony Hill on March 9, 2015.



Jury selection in his trial is set to start Monday.

A felony murder charge doesn't mean prosecutors believe Olsen acted with malice but rather that he killed someone while committing another felony, in this case aggravated assault or violation of his oath.


Gerald Griggs, a leader in the Atlanta NAACP chapter, said supporters of Hill's family plan to pack the courtroom. He said he's optimistic about a conviction but acknowledged that Olsen has some of the best defense attorneys in the state.

"We're expecting the eyes of the community to be watching this very carefully, and we're hopeful that whoever the 12 that are seated as a jury will listen to the evidence and return a verdict that speaks the truth, and that's guilty on all counts," Griggs said, predicting protests if Olsen is exonerated.

Hill had been medically discharged from the Air Force and was being treated for bipolar disorder but had stopped taking his medication because he didn't like the side effects, his girlfriend, Bridget Anderson, said right after he died.


Olsen, who'd been a police officer for seven years, had no significant disciplinary problems prior to the shooting, according to personnel records. In annual evaluations, he consistently received an overall rating of "exceeds standards" and was commended for his productivity, willingness to take on extra responsibilities and being a team player.

During a May 2018 pretrial hearing on a request by Olsen's attorneys to dismiss the charges because Olsen had acted appropriately, the apartment complex maintenance supervisor said he saw Hill outside the leasing office in shorts and a T-shirt saying strange things, like, "The devil is coming," and asking for help. He got Hill to go to his apartment, but Hill reemerged without clothes. Leasing office staff called 911.

Olsen was responding to that call, told by dispatch there was a naked man who was "possibly demented." Hill was squatting in a roadway when Olsen arrived but jumped up and ran toward the patrol car, Olsen testified.

Olsen drew his gun as he exited his car and yelled, "Stop! Stop!" Hill didn't stop, and Olsen shot him "maybe a second" after giving the order, he testified.

The second officer to arrive testified that Olsen said Hill ran at him and "started pounding on him." Olsen testified that he didn't remember that conversation.



The fact that Hill was naked and unarmed is a major challenge for the defense, which will also have to explain why Olsen didn't use less-than-lethal force, like a stun gun or pepper spray, he said.


Ultimately, Sekhon said, jurors will have to imagine themselves in Olsen's position and decide whether he acted reasonably.
