x
Breaking News
More () »

Last Week Tonight segment on police raids featured 11Alive report on botched no-knock raid, Baby Bou Bou case

Host John Oliver featured a case first reported by 11Alive Reveal Investigator Brendan Keefe, and another Atlanta-area case that left a baby injured in a raid.

ATLANTA — Every Sunday, viewers of HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" can expect the host to take a deep dive into trending topics that often reveal the dark layers under the catchy headline.

What doesn't happen every week is a strong Georgia connection. That was the case in Sunday's episode.

On the latest episode, which aired Feb. 28, Oliver's main story focused on police drug raids in America - highlighting their frequent use among police departments, and the often sparse consequences when they go awry, sometimes with deadly consequences.

The segment featured the Breonna Taylor case, in which the 26-year-old was shot and killed in her own home as police executed a warrant in the middle of the night. 

But Oliver also featured a case first reported by 11Alive Reveal Chief Investigator Brendan Keefe, in which Henry County SWAT served a no-knock warrant at the home of a Henry County man - except deputies had the wrong man, and the wrong house.

The segment featured body camera footage from the raid, which showed deputies crossing the property on foot, confused about which house they were supposed to target. 

"It is humiliating to watch a trained tactical unit outfitted with military hardware completely stumped by the mystery of more than one house," Oliver said.

Even after realizing the mistake, the responding agency was cleared because of what's called qualified immunity, a certain protection given to law enforcement and other government actors to avoid liability when they violate citizen’s constitutional rights. 

"It's like we are not valued as whole humans," said the Henry County man's granddaughter, shortly after the Breonna Taylor case. "That's what it feels like. And I'm just wondering, what is it going to take for some people to see that?"

Oliver highlighted several other instances in which police drug raids got key details wrong and made mistakes, including another Atlanta-area case in which a baby was injured after officers lobbed a grenade into his crib while executing a warrant. 

Oliver said it would take reforms on several levels to reign in drug raids, but ultimately said an end to the raids would be the best course of action: "Stop doing drug raids. Just stop it."

"Raids are being used far too wide, and they are destroying lives."

You can watch the segment here. Editor's warning, there is heavy profanity. You can watch 11Alive's investigation below.

Before You Leave, Check This Out