Video: GA Cop Killer Executed After 16 Years on Death Row
Lawler ambushed two Atlanta police officers on October 12, 1997 -- Officer John Richard Sowa, and Officer Patricia Cocciolone. He shot them both multiple times. He killed Sowa, and nearly killed Cocciolone, leaving her with permanent brain injury.
October 20, 2016
1 min to read
Convicted Georgia cop killer Gregory Lawler, 63, was executed Wednesday just before midnight, less than an hour after the Supreme Court of the United States denied his last-minute appeal for a stay.
Lawler ambushed two Atlanta police officers on October 12, 1997 -- Officer John Richard Sowa, and Officer Patricia Cocciolone. He shot them both multiple times. He killed Sowa, and nearly killed Cocciolone, leaving her with permanent brain injury.
Reporters who witnessed the execution said it took 15 minutes from the time of the lethal injection to the time of death, which was 11:49 p.m. ET.
They said the witnesses included Officer Cocciolone, now retired; Officer Sowa's widow and sister; and Fulton County D.A. Paul Howard, whose office prosecuted Lawler, and sought the death penalty.
Lawler was convicted and sentenced to death in 2000, WXIA TV reports.
More Patrol
Mistaken Identity: Ohio Police Department Harassed After ICE OIS
An Ohio police department has received harassing phone calls and social media messages because it has an officer with the same name as the ICE officer identified in the Minneapolis, Minnesota, officer-involved shooting.
Read More →
Top 10 POLICE Videos of 2025
What were the top videos published by POLICE in 2025? Many covered tactics and officer safety, while others came from booth visits at IACP in Denver, Colorado. In case you missed these, here are the top 10 videos.
Read More →
Flock Safety and Coreforce Partner to Enhance Real-Time Awareness and Operational Efficiency for Law Enforcement
A new integration partnership will enable Flock Safety hotlist alerts and license plate recognition (LPR) searches directly in Coreforce’s Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) and Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) platform.
Read More →
Ballistic Armor Co. Secures Strategic Investment to Expand U.S. Production Capabilities
Ballistic Armor Co. secured a new commitment that will accelerate its multi-year transition from a third-party tactical equipment retailer to a premium innovator and U.S. manufacturer of advanced protective systems.
Read More →
Police & Fire Championships Expands Athlete Eligibility
The US Police & Fire Championships is now open to all employees – sworn, civilian, administrative, technical, and support staff – who work directly for an eligible public safety agency.
Read More →
Tips for Watching the Hands
How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.
Read More →
10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops
What steps can officers take to stay safer during felony or high-risk vehicle stops? Here are 10 tips from Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association.
Read More →
Amped Highlights Power Behind Amped FIVE Software
Amped FIVE empowers you to advance your investigations with confidence and precision, from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom.
Read More →
Police K-9 Killed, Suspect Dies in Shootout with Cops
A Burbank Police Department K-9 was fatally shot over the weekend by a passenger who fled on foot from a traffic stop. The armed suspect was killed in a shootout with officers.
Read More →
From the Show Floor: InVeris
In this video, learn about how InVeris provides training to law enforcement, including customized augmented reality scenarios. The augmented reality system can scan up to 10,000 square feet of real-life environments and create a curriculum based on those spaces.
Read More →