The Minister Who Served As A Spokesperson For The Kathryn Johnston Family Sues

By Marjorie Coley

Atlanta, Ga. – The Atlanta Minister who served as spokesperson for the family of the late Kathryn Johnston is suing Johnston's estate. Reverend Markel Hutchins says he was never compensated for his services. Marjorie Coley reports.

Kathryn Johnson was the 92 year old Atlanta woman who was shot and killed by police during a botched drug raid in 2006.

Hutchins became the family's spokesperson and strategic consultant the day after the shooting. He says he had a verbal agreement with Sarah Dozier.

"There certainly was an agreement that I would represent the interest of Kathryn Johnston's family and for the professional services I provided, I would be compensated with a sum that would be equal to ten percent of whatever the gross recovery is,"said Markel Hutchins.

The family sued the city and was awarded 4 point nine million dollars. So far, the family has received 3 million. They will get one point nine million in 2012.

Hutchins is suing for a half a million dollars.

Hutchins says he served as spokesperson for the family for four years and maintained a good relationship with them. When he reached out to Attorney Hezekiah Sistrunk with the Cochran firm for payment, he was confident that he'd be paid.

"The last conversation I had with Hezekiah Sistrunk was on September 22, 2010. In that conversation he committed to me. These were his words He said when I get the check, before I disperse the money, we will sit down and figure out how to get you paid."

Hutchins says he's made every attempt to resolve the matter diplomatically. He said he had no choice but to file the lawsuit.

"If there any attempt to reimburse me or to negotiate what they might have considered a more reasonable financial payment to me for the services I provided for four years, I certainly would have engaged in those conversations."

While Hutchins only had a verbal agreement with the Johnston's family, WABE's legal analyst Page Pate says the agreement should stand up in court.

"A contract is a contract whether it's written or verbal. There are some exceptions. General a verbal contract is just as enforceable as a written one," said Page Pate.

Hutchins is also suing Johnston's niece and the law firm who handled the civil suit against the City of Atlanta.

We talked with Tiffany Cochran of the Cochran Firm in Atlanta today. She said she was preparing a statement. However, we did not receive the statement by air time.

For WABE News, I'm Marjorie Coley