Testimony begins at last in the murder trial of Robert “Chip” Olsen.
One after the other, three eyewitnesses take the stand to describe the fatal encounter between Olsen and 26-year-old Anthony Hill on March 9, 2015.
Prosecutors need their first-hand accounts to establish that Olsen wasn’t justified in shooting because Hill posed no threat. But some key inconsistencies emerge in their testimony.
Did they ultimately help the state? Or hurt?
» LISTEN: Previous seasons of the AJC’s ‘Breakdown’ podcast
» MORE: The latest on Anthony Hill and the Chip Olsen trial
Available Monday, Episode 7: Three Eyewitnesses recounts the opening days in the trial of the former DeKalb County police officer, including emotional testimony from the apartment manager who called 911 setting in motion a chain of events that would lead to Hill’s death.
Griselle Torres summoned police after seeing Hill wandering naked around the apartment complex.
An Afghanistan war veteran and aspiring musician, Hill had stopped taking the medication he used to treat bipolar disorder.
But Torres didn’t know that. And neither did Olsen. When Olsen climbed out of his squad car, Hill began advancing toward him, ignoring the officer’s commands to stop. Olsen fired twice.
On the stand, Torres recalled her reaction when she learned what happened.
“He was laid down on the floor,” Torres said. “Naked. Bleeding. And then I was like, Why? Why did you shoot him? What did you shoot him?”
Breakdown Season 7: Judgment Call is hosted by AJC legal affairs writer, Bill Rankin. He’s joined by public safety reporter, Christian Boone.
The AJC is partnering this season with WSB-Radio.
You can download the podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify or your favorite podcasting platform. Or you can stream it on your computer in the player below.
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