New film features controversial traffic stop death of metro Atlanta deacon

ATLANTA - The death of a beloved deacon at the hands of an Atlanta police officer last August has inspired a new documentary that made its first public debut Wednesday at Clark Atlanta University. 

In showing ‘What about the deacon?’, loved ones and the filmmaker told FOX 5 they’re hoping to bring more attention to their continued fight for justice for Deacon Johnny Hollman.

"It keeps his legacy going, it keeps his name in the atmosphere," Hollman’s daughter Arnitra said.

Body camera video showed now former APD officer Kiran Kimbrough using a taser to shock the 62-year-old man after he refused to sign a ticket following a minor crash. His death was ruled a homicide.

Nearly a year and a half after Hollman took his last breaths, his case has become a case study for CAU pre-law students.

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The film made its first public debut inside the classroom where family attorney Muwali Davis teaches. 

"We teach about civil rights classes during the Black Lives Matter era, so we cover cases beginning from Trayvon Martin. I think it really captures a very difficult piece of our history here in Atlanta," he told FOX 5.

Davis was joined by Arnitra Hollman, who said seeing her father’s story on screen was bittersweet.

"Anytime I watch anything dealing with that body cam video it breaks my heart," she explained.

Filmmaker and community organizer Eldredge Washington says the roughly 20-minute-long documentary seeks to examine the roles race and class played in Hollman’s case.

"I hope that when people watch this film, they see their father, they see their grandfather, they see their brother," he told FOX 5.

While the City of Atlanta agreed to a $3.8 million dollar settlement, no charges have been filed against Kimbrough or the tow truck driver who was seen on body cam coming to his aid.

Davis, Washington, and the Hollman family say they hope the film will serve as another call to action for arrests to be made. 

"That’s what we’re waiting on and that’s what we’re fighting for," the deacon's eldest daughter said. 

Hollman said the family is supposed to meet with Fulton County DA Fani Willis by the end of December or early January for an update on whether charges will be filed. FOX 5 reached out to the DA’s office for comment on this. We’re still waiting to hear back.

Washington said the film will also be shown at the Global South Film Festival in South Fulton Thursday. It is also available to watch online.