Former Habersham County deputy sheriff Nikki Autry is now on trial in federal court for her role in arranging a “no-knock” drug raid that severely injured toddler Bounkham “Bou Bou” Phonesavanh.
Autry is charged with violating the Phonesavanh family’s civil rights guarding against unreasonable searches and seizures.
Jury selection began Monday morning, December 7th in U.S. District Court in Gainesville.
The 29-year old Autry was indicted in July by a federal grand jury. The indictment alleges she provided false information to obtain the no-knock warrant that led to the raid on the house in Cornelia where Bou Bou and his family were staying the morning of May 28, 2014. The then 19-month old toddler was critically injured when a flash grenade thrown by a deputy detonated in his playpen.
Autry originally faced four felony counts. One count was dropped Friday according to court documents obtained by Now Habersham.
The fourth count in the indictment alleged Autry provided the same false information to obtain an arrest warrant against the target of the raid, Bou Bou’s cousin Wanis Thonetheva. Thonetheva, whose mother owned the house where the Phonesavanhs were staying, was suspected of selling methamphetamine from the residence. He was arrested shortly after the flash bang incident at a nearby residence.
The no-knock warrant was signed by then Habersham County Magistrate Judge James Butterworth. The federal indictment alleges Autry knew the information she “provided and swore to” was false. Defense attorney Jeff Brickman has publicly stated Autry never intentionally misled the judge. She pleaded not guilty to the charges.
RELATED: FBI Announces Indictment
In announcing the federal grand jury’s indictment of Autry, U.S. Attorney John Horn said, “Without her false statements, there was no probable cause to search the premises for drugs or to make the arrest. And in this case, the consequences of the unlawful search were tragic.”
The Phonesavanh family has called for stiff penalties. The toddler’s mother Alecia Phonesavanh has publicly stated Autry “ruined our family’s life by not doing her job properly.”
Autry resigned from the sheriff’s office after a Habersham County grand jury criticized the raid as “hurried and sloppy.”
READ: Grand Jury Presentment in Cornelia Drug Raid Case
The now 3-year old Bou Bou has undergone at least a dozen surgeries since the raid. The family was awarded $964,000 in a settlement reached with the Habersham County Board of Commissioners in April of this year.
(Photo: rollingout.com)
