Photo by Thomas Alex Graves. After the mistrial, Dominika Stanley, Aiyana's mother stayed in the courtroom, wiping away tears as she shook her head and held onto a tissue. The bullet struck and killed Aiyana. In Michigan, such a crime carries a potential 15 year prison sentence. "I'm out here to fight any way for the other Aiyanas that's to come," she said, "because it ain't stop at just my grandbaby.". The justice system did not work in this case, he said. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The film. A Special Response Team shattered a familys window in the middle of the night, hurled a flashbang onto a couch next to a sleeping girl, then charged in and shot her in the head. All rights reserved. The law is a gray area at best. Weekley shot Stanley-Jones in 2010 during a botched police raid in search of a murder suspect. They're looking to protect," said Detroit Mayor Dave Bing Wednesday. Detroit Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia announced the settlement with the family of Aiyana Stanley-Jones four days before a civil trial was to begin. Shooting: Detroit Police Officer Joseph Weekley testifies during his first trial in Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit, Michigan, his second trial was declared a mistrial on Friday Judge. The trial featured a multicultural jury made up of eight women and four men, four of whom were African Americans. Weekley's colleagues gave him the nickname "The Brain," according to The Detroit News, because he was always thinking. The death of Aiyana, who was black, has since been a rallying point for Detroit activists, who say the girl has not received justice. Sally LaBorde, a passenger in the van Dixon was driving, also testified, saying she could clearly see Few pointing to Jeremy in the car, and the implication was unmistakable that he wanted Dixon to take care of his son, according to the Advocate. Final charges against Joseph Weekley, a police officer who shot dead a 7-year-old girl, Aiyana Stanley-Jones, in Detroit in May 2010, were dismissed on Friday, leaving a family bereft and raising serious concern among national groups over an increasingly militarized police force. Fishman said that for involuntary manslaughter to be proved, the prosecution would need to demonstrate that his client acted in a "grossly negligent manner" in the circumstances leading to Stanley-Jones' death. Sleeping 7-year-old girl shot in head during no-knock police raid on wrong home Who Is DPD Officer Joseph Weekley? Greenhouse also happens to be the son of the assistant district attorney in Marksville. How A Police Officer Shot A Sleeping 7-Year-Old To Death, the militarization of U.S. law enforcement, charged with felony involuntary manslaughter, could have affected how the police executed their search warrant, prosecutors allege that Owens told Je'Rean, gave Owens the gun he used to kill Je'Rean, serving a prison sentence of 40 to 60 years, disputed the Westbrooks' version of events, cleared of wrongdoing in a non-fatal shooting in 2009. Officers were briefed that theyd be entering a possible dope den, in which the suspect might be armed and might even possess dangerous dogs.. Charges Dismissed Against Joseph Weekley, Cop Who Fatally Shot Sleeping 7-Year-Old. After two trials without result, police officer Joseph Weekley will not face another trial for fatally shooting Aiyana Stanley-Jones, a sleeping seven-year-old, during a 2010 raid filmed by a . Owned and operated by the Hernandez family UglyJudge.com UGLYJUDGE Copyright 2006-2023 All Rights Reserved Notice: "We, are not attorneys. Joseph Weekley testifying at first trial in June, 2013. He said he was oblivious to the fact that the bullet was fired from his gun and suspected it was fired by Ellis' gun, whom he pursued into an adjacent bedroom. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). Weekley shot and killed Aiyana Stanley-Jones on the night of May 16, 2010, as officers executed a search warrant on the duplex her family lived in. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Meanwhile, Weekley released a statement shortly before the mistrial was declared. He spotted housemate Vincent Ellis standing in a doorway just before a stun grenade exploded, temporarily blinding him. He said Tuesday plans to protest the return of Weekley are in the works but not finalized. He said Detroit police are trained to push away anyone who tries to grab an officers gun or to move the weapon in a J shape to keep control of it. When Weekley regained sight, he realized there was a person on the couch instead of what he'd originally thought was a pile of clothes. Chauncey Owens, whom police were searching for in the raid, was eventually arrested in a second-floor unit of the duplex where the girl and her family lived. Weekley claims his MP5 sub-machine gun fired when Aiyana's grandmother, Mertila Jones, slammed his gun with her hand. City attorney Lawrence Garcia announced the settlement with the family of Aiyana Stanley-Jones on Thursday, April 4, 2019 four days before a civil trial was to begin. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement that her office was moving to dismiss the case against Officer Joseph Weekley. Weekley has been listed in various paid, off-duty statuses since the shooting early May 16, 2010. The shield seemed unnecessary, Weekley testified. Greenhouse, whose defense team has been pulling insane tactics out of the woodwork up to and including demanding to know if any prosecution witnesses underwent hypnosis or any "truth-determining examinations," such as polygraph tests or sodium pentothal. Especially for | 12 comentarios en LinkedIn "He won't be in the field.". A surveillance unit had been monitoring the duplex in which he lived throughout the day and a no-knock raid was scheduled for just after midnight. In February, Owens was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Dixon's testimony did confirm that Few was, in fact, attempting to wave her down and pointing at Jeremy. Aiyana Mo'Nay Stanley-Jones (July 20, 2002 - May 16, 2010) was a seven-year-old African-American girl from Detroit 's East Side who was shot in the neck and killed by police officer Joseph Weekley during a raid conducted by the Detroit Police Department's Special Response Team targeting a suspect in the apartment a . A fellow officer is said to have thrown a flash-bang grenade, and Weekley fired his gun shortly after, killing the 7-year-old girl, who was sleeping on the couch. In 2013, at Weekley's first trial, his lawyer pointed to Jones' inconsistent accounts of the shooting and otherwise attacked her credibility, according to MLive. Weekley was indicted in 2011 and charged with felony involuntary manslaughter, as well as the careless discharge of a firearm causing death. Loud voices could be heard in the jury room in Wayne County, Michigan a few hours before jurors threw in the towel in the case of Joseph Weekley on Tuesday and were dismissed. It is not clear what his role in the nonfatal shooting was, but Godbee said he was cleared and it was determined that he acted appropriately. FILE - In this June 18, 2013 file photo, Detroit police officer Joseph Weekley stands in Judge Cynthia Hathaway's courtroom at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice during his criminal trial in the 2010 killing of Aiyana Stanley-Jones during a police raid in Detroit. "He's on vacation now, but when he returns, he'll be in a limited duty capacity," Craig told Hunter. Police sources also have told Local 4 that DPD?s SWAT team has been put on hold until further notice. The jury sent a note to Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway saying little progress had been made during the three days of deliberations over the fate of Officer Joseph Weekley, who faced charges of felony . Officer Joseph Weekley says the victim's grandmother grabbed his weapon during a midnight raid. Judge Hathaway declared a hung jury after less than three days of deliberations. 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The officers also claimed Few had a weapon, that was also a lie. Download the Yahoo News app. Police said Weekley came into contact with Aiyana's grandmother, Mertilla Jones, when they busted through the door in the early hours of Sunday morning and his weapon accidentally fired. They said that theynever agreed unanimously, but listened to each others view points, took three votes and had some jurors shift sides. The afternoon of May 14, Je'Rean had just bought an orange juice at a liquor store when he had a confrontation with a man named Chauncey Owens, 38. and
A member of an elite Detroit police unit is set to stand trial again for killing a seven-year-old girl during a 2010 raid on her house that was captured on video by a reality TV crew. He says he accidentally fired his gun during. The city of Detroit has reached an $8.25 million settlement with the family of Stanley-Jones, who was accidentally killed by Weekley during a 2010 raid. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. When Weekley stepped inside, he fired a single shot that went through Stanley-Jones' head. Prosecutor Rob Moran argued: 'His training says, keep your finger off the trigger. A member of an elite Detroit police team failed to follow his training when he stormed a house looking for a murder suspect with his finger on the trigger and shot a 7-year-old girl who was asleep on the couch, a prosecutor said Thursday at the start of an involuntary manslaughter trial. Mertilla Jones testified that Owens lived in the upper unit with her daughter, LaKrystal Sanders. When asked by prosecutors if knowing children were in the house would have forced police to change raid tactics, Davis responded: 'Probably not.'. The Special Response Team arrived in its armored vehicle with a warrant to arrest Chauncey Owens, who was known to stay with his fiance at 4056 Lillibridge Street. Owens was later convicted of murder in the death of 17-year-old Je'rean Blake, who was fatally shot outside a convenience store days before the raid. DETROIT -- The city of Detroit reached an $8.25 million settlement Thursday with the family of a 7-year-old girl accidentally killed by a police officer during a 2010 raid. Weekley had not been on the force since 2010 when he shot a sleeping child in the head during a botched raid executed on the wrong home. He says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. One of the most important questions that jurors needed to answer was whether the discharge of the weapon was a result of the defendant's carelessness, recklessness or negligence. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, If you need further help setting your homepage, check your browsers Help menu, New police chief hired at N.C. PD after entire police force resigned, 'It's a blessing': 24-year-old takes helm as N.C. police chief, Video: Bystander pins down drunk driver fleeing crash that killed a Texas police officer, SIG Sauer's ROMEO-M17: The future of the Red Dot revolution is here, 'You're going to die today': Driver traps Fla. cop inside car while speeding toward power pole, cleared the way for a trial or settlement, Open the tools menu in your browser. He was swinging his weapon to point toward the couch, Weekley testified, when Aiyana's grandmother, Mertilla Jones -- who had been sleeping on the couch with the girl -- smacked his weapon, an MP5 submachine gun, with her hand, causing him to pull the trigger. In November 2015,Few's fiance came forward about her relationship to Greenhouse. Officer on trial: Joseph Weekley testifies in his own defense "The only thing I heard was gunshots. The jury foreman, a pastor said:This has not been an easy case.. A judge has declared a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a verdict for a police officer who shot dead a young girl during a chaotic search for a murder suspect that was recorded by a reality TV crew. According to the Greenhouse and Stafford, the officers decided to conduct a traffic stop because Few had an outstanding warrant. She denies that she interfered in any way. During the trial, Steve Fishman, Weekley's attorney, told jurors that the officer mistakenly pulled the trigger during a struggle with Mertilla Jones, the girl's grandmother. All he had to do is follow his training and we wouldn't be here.'. He went in there to protect the citizens of Detroit from a man wanted for murder, Diaz said. Officer Placed At Desk Job DETROIT - The SWAT team member whose gun, authorities say, killed 7-year-old Aiyana Jones Sunday during a raid at her home has been. DETROIT The city of Detroit reached an $8.25 million settlement Thursday with the family of a 7-year-old girl accidentally killed by a police officer during a 2010 raid. 'They knew there were children in there. Weekley told jurors that he accidentally pulled the trigger during a struggle with the girl's grandmother, but Mertilla Jones denied interfering with the gun. Weekley was first through the door, with a shield in one hand and a gun in the other. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Dominika Stanley, left, the mother of 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones, sits next to Aiyana's father Charles Jones in attorney Geoffrey Fieger's office in Southfield, Michigan, Tuesday, May 18, 2010. Joseph Weekley, a member of an elite police unit, was the first officer through the door of her home during a chaotic search for a murder suspect. Stafford was facing a maximum sentence of 60 years for his role in the murder of Jeremy Mardis whenstate District Judge William Bennett sentenced him. Jose Guerena, 26, was a Marine Corps veteran who'd served two tours of duty in Iraq. Weekley squeezed his eyes to try and regain his sight, he told the court, and heard a high-pitched moan, like someone "out of breath" coming from beneath the pile of clothes. Photo by Paul Warner/Getty Images.
Your source for Local information & breaking news across southeast Michigan plus 4Warn Weather providing you with accurate forecasts so you can plan your day. A flash-bang grenade shattered the front bay window and exploded seconds before the Weekley-led Special Response Team barged though the front door. A stun grenade was thrown through a window to confuse anyone inside. Enter https://www.police1.com/ and click OK. by a Detroit police officer, Joseph Weekley. The Michigan Supreme Court last Septembercleared the way for a trial or settlementwhen it declined to hear an appeal after two courts ruled a jury could decide whether Weekley's actions amounted to gross negligence. Some jurors felt Weekley, should not have allowed his gun to discharge because of his training as a member of the Special Response Team, while others could not determine what happened. Weekley told jurors: I just feel devastated and depressed. Feast day: Mar 19 The city of Detroit has reached an $8.25 million settlement with the family of Stanley-Jones, who was accidentally killed by Weekley during a 2010 raid. The raid was being filmed for an episode of The First 48, and many believe the excessive tactics used were employed simply to create drama and excitement for the camera. Last week, a neighbor testified that he tried to tell officers before they raided the home that children were inside. A pretrial conference to schedule a new set of hearings and a near jury selection is set for 9am July 25. Yetthe group of 12 was almost split down the middle over whether to acquit or convict Weekley on a misdemeanor charge of careless, reckless or negligent use of a firearm causing death. Officer Weekley, who is white, is still free. Police1 is revolutionizing the way the law enforcement community He says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. Daily Mail Reporter
Joseph Weekley, a member of an elite police unit, was the first officer through the door of her home during a chaotic search for a murder suspect. We believe today's settlement is fair because it balances the needs of Aiyana's family and our responsibility for the city's finances. Weekley is also charged with careless discharge of a weapon causing death, a misdemeanor that might not carry a jail sentence if he is convicted, according to the Detroit News. City attorney Lawrence Garcia announced the settlement with the family of Aiyana Stanley-Jones on Thursday, April 4, 2019 four days before a civil trial was to begin. As the Associated Press reports,Ruth Wisher, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Jeff Landry's office, said Stafford was sentenced to 40 years for manslaughter and 15 years for attempted manslaughter. Meet Killer CopOfficer Joseph Weekly Detroit Michigan Police Department, Detroit police officer Joseph Weekley faces felony conviction. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). Marksville, LA Moments ago, in one of the stiffest sentences ever handed down to a cop for killing an innocent person while on duty, one of the Marksville police officers who killed 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Weekley was first through the door, and saw what he thought was an empty room with a man standing in the far doorway, he testified last year. Detroit Police Media Relations Director June West said Weekley returned to active duty on a "restricted" basis "a couple weeks ago.". Before Weekley's trial, potential jurors were asked questions related to the Ferguson shooting and if they had seen reports that might influence their decision in the case. At the beginning of the case, jurors were asked to decide the officer's fate. The girl's father, Charles Jones, was convicted of second-degree murder for providing the gun used to kill Blake. All rights reserved. Weekley was also cleared of wrongdoing in a non-fatal shooting in 2009, when he returned fire from a man aiming at officers, according to The Detroit News. Weekley was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but a judge dismissed that charge during a second trial in 2014. "I would only pray that [the prosecutor] would only use the same zeal he used on my client, Charles Jones, in trying to get a conviction in [Weekley's] case," Weiss told HuffPost this week. Officer Joseph Weekley had been charged in the death of Aiyana Stanley Jones. They found Owens upstairs and arrested him. "There is absolutely no evidence, none, that's in the least bit credible, that Officer Weekley knowingly created a danger or, more importantly, intended to cause injury," Fishman said in court Friday. Detroit Officer Joseph Weekley is charged with involuntary manslaughter. 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