DRUGS SNITCH WANTS TO TELL ALL IN DC

Police informant Alexis White and the Rev. Markel Hutchins head to
Washington Wednesday to meet with congressional leaders about police
use of confidential informants in drug cases.

White, the 45-year-old snitch who says he was asked to lie to help
Atlanta police narcotics officers cover up a botched drug bust in
which an elderly Atlanta woman was killed, is not scheduled to
testify while in Washington.

The day of talks includes scheduled visits with members of the House
Judiciary Committee and the subcommittee on crime terrorism and
homeland security. They also hope to meet with federal Drug
Enforcement Administration and Department of Justice officials.

Hutchins, who has acted as a spokesman for the elderly woman's family
and linked with White last week, said the trip is to encourage
national policy changes to improve how police do their jobs and to
curb the misuse of informants in the war on drugs.

"After these meetings, we hope to walk away with an agenda that will
protect citizens civil rights," Hutchins said, before boarding a
flight to Washington.

Atlanta police officers Gregg Junnier and Jason R. Smith claimed
White had bought drugs inside a house as they waited outside. But
White said later the story was made up by police so they could get a
warrant to enter Kathryn Johnston's home last November.

Johnston, who fired once and missed as the officers broke in her
door, was shot to death. Federal authorities said the officers then
planted bags of marijuana in her basement.

Three officers were indicted, and Junnier and Smith have pleaded
guilty to killing the 92-year-old Johnston.

Federal documents say Atlanta narcotics officers repeatedly lied to
judges to obtain search warrants, falsely claimed confidential
informants purchased drugs and falsified warrants so they could meet
goals set by police brass.

Until White began speaking publicly last week, he had been in federal
protective custody, hiding in a budget motel for five months.

"I'm glad to be going to Washington to make sure something like this
never happens again," White said.

With his identity exposed, White says he can no longer work as a
snitch, which netted him up to $30,000 annually. He has filed a legal
notice saying he intends to sue the city over the income loss