ATLANTA — A federal judge tossed out murder charges against a former Atlanta police officer who fatally shot an unarmed Black man as he was hiding from police in a closet.

On Tuesday, U.S. Circuit Court Judge Michael L. Brown, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2017, ruled that that Sung Kim, a 26-year veteran of the Atlanta Police Department, acted in self defense. Brown also expressed disagreement with the charges, saying in his ruling the shooting “was textbook self-defense.”

Kim was indicted in state court in 2022, but because he was assigned to a FBI fugitive task force at the time of the shooting, he was considered a federal officer, leading to his case being moved to federal court.

Jimmy Atchison was shot and killed on Jan. 18, 2019 during an attempted arrest. Atchison was wanted in connection with a robbery that had taken place earlier.

Police tracked the 21-year-old man to a residential neighborhood after he fled from police on foot and found him hiding inside of a closet. Atchison was shot in the face.

The shooting, which was not caught on body camera, was disputed.

The death of Atchison sparked protests and demonstrations across Atlanta and beyond, as activists and community leaders rallied to demand justice for Atchison, calling for transparency in the investigation and accountability for the officers involved.

Public sentiment was further inflamed by the timing of the incident, occurring in a national climate already charged with tensions surrounding police brutality. In the months following Atchison’s death, the community continued to advocate for reforms in policing practices. Calls for body cameras, de-escalation training, and community policing initiatives gained traction as residents sought to prevent similar incidents in the future.

More on the judge’s ruling and the shooting of Jimmy Atchison.