Armed with MP5 submachine guns, adrenaline, and an unhealthy fear for officer safety, the raiders shuffled past the toys that littered the front yard and ignored the two distinct street address signs hanging on either side of the shared porch of the multi-unit building; 4056 was on the left, 4054 was on the right. During Weekleys first trial, a fellow officer, Shawn Stallard, testified that he did not see anyone struggle with Weekley. Belinda Robinson for MailOnline. The judge dismissed the charge after defense attorney Steve Fishman said prosecutors didn't show that Weekley acted willfully. 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. Jurors later told the judge they couldnt reach a verdict. So why would they come in there like that? Copyright 2023 The only thing he saw upon entering the home on Lillibridge in Detroit was a "pile of clothes" on a couch by the entrance and a 19-inch TV flickering in the dark room. The girl's father, Charles Jones, was convicted of second-degree murder for providing the gun used to kill Blake. 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. Detroit Police Chief James Craig told George Hunter of the Detroit News last week that Weekley was restored to active duty April 2. Joseph Weekley charged with involuntary manslaughter in death of Aiyana Jones after he was 'grossly negligent' with handling gun during a raid, Claims pulled gun trigger accidentally during scuffle with her grandmother. The jury could have convicted Weekley of involuntary manslaughter, a felony, or reckless discharge of a firearm, a misdemeanor. Then, officers stormed the house and once inside, a round from Weekley's sub-machine gun struck Aiyana in the head while she slept on a couch. The trial is expected to last about three weeks. Search query On May 16, 2010, plaintiff's decedent Aiyana Stanley-Jones, 7, was inside her Detroit home when she was shot in the head. 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 . Officer Joseph Weekley will return to court Nov. 21, and Wayne County prosecutors now have six weeks to see whether they will seek to have Weekley tried for a third time. 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. Allison Howard, producer of "The First 48," was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice for showing the tape from that night to a third party and hindering the police investigation. Weekley says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. Last week, she was escorted from the courtroom after an emotional outburst directed at Weekley during her testimony. All rights reserved. This website expresses our OPINIONS. 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. Here's the video A&E's cameras captured at the Stanley-Jones residence: The episode that would have featured footage from that night ultimately never aired. By Howard received a sentence of two years' probation. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Yahoo News Yahoo News . Weekley has been listed in various paid, off-duty statuses since the shooting early May 16, 2010. The family's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, said the settlement should allow the family, the city and Weekley to move on from the tragedy. 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. The company's filing status is listed as Suspended - Ftb and its File Number is 2555616. They kept firing.". 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. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. But he was killed in his Tucson home on May 5, 2011, in a SWAT team assault gone awry. Weekley says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. The jurors were unable to reach a verdict in the case againstOfficer Joseph Weekley who was accused of shooting Aiyana Stanley-Jones during a raid on a house for a murder suspect in Detroit. The event raised funds for kids with cancer. The girl was shot in the head while she slept on a couch. Jones had previously said the shot came from outside the house. The settlement still needs approval from the Detroit City Council. 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. It really came down to defining negligence, the foreman said. Aiyana's parents, Charles Jones and Dominika Stanley, sued Detroit police officer Joseph Weekley on behalf of their daughter's estate. In at least one of those other raids, Weekley and his team were accused of using unnecessary force. (Dkt. 20:54 GMT 19 Jun 2013. finds relevant news, identifies important training information, She died a short time later. Mark Diaz, union president of the Detroit Police Officers Association, said he was disappointed by the decision. The jurors, asked that their names not be made public as they explained what happened over four days of deliberations. 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. She pleaded no contest to the obstruction of justice charge, and the perjury charge was dropped. Last year the city settled with Aiyana's family for $8.25 million. 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. 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. A man rides a bicycle past the house where Aiyana Stanley-Jones was killed in Detroit, Monday, May 17, 2010. A stun grenade was thrown through a window to confuse anyone inside. The night of the raid, a camera crew from A&E's "The First 48," a reality show that follows police officers during the first two days of murder investigations, was shadowing Detroit's Special Response Team. He says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. Dixon's testimony did confirm that Few was, in fact, attempting to wave her down and pointing at Jeremy. Roland Lawrence of the Justice for Aiyana Jones Committee explained only one juror was African American and that he had 'no confidence in this jury' once he realized the racial disparity. How that happened is currently under investigation by the Michigan State Police. It's the most comprehensive and trusted online destination for law enforcement agencies and police departments worldwide. The prosecution and defense have offered contradictory depictions of the events leading up to Stanley-Jones' death. Police staged a so-called safety briefing shortly before the raid; undoubtedly focusing on their own safety rather than the safety of unknown innocents behind the doors they were about to kick in. Weiss is seeking a new trial for Jones, who is currently serving a prison sentence of 40 to 60 years. "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. Copyright 2003 by ClickOnDetroit.com. The settlement still needs approval from the Detroit City Council. Jones insists she never touched Weekley or his gun, and she testified that he put his gun to her granddaughter's head and pulled the trigger, MLive reports. Associated Press Report your Judge, Lawyer or Government Office, Report your Judge, Attorney & Public Official Today. In a statement released yesterday, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said after two mistrials,. "He's heartsick, because he lost his daughter and he got charged with something he didn't do," Weiss said of Jones. He says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. In Michigan, such a crime carries a potential 15 year prison sentence. 0:22 After two hung juries, the Detroit police officer charged in the death of 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones will not be tried again. After Aiyana's death, the mayor banned police from working with reality TV crews. An anonymous Detroit official told Mother Jones in 2010 that using the grenade was "not protocol.". Aiyana Mo'Nay Stanley-Jones (May 16, 2010): Jones, a seven-year-old Black girl, was shot in the head by Detroit officer Joseph Weekley during a raid on the apartment above hers. Fishman attempted to discredit her while requesting dismissal of the manslaughter charge. Weekley was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but a judge dismissed that charge during a second trial in 2014. The little girl, 7 years old, died instantly. 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. The bullet struck and killed Aiyana. "The guy was just pointing right there and Aiyana [was] hit," Jones testified last year. Since the shooting, Weekley has been placed on a desk job. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current . He says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. 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 reality TV show. At the beginning of the case, jurors were asked to decide the officer's fate. 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. After prosecutors objected, the judge suspended her decision and ordered a recess until late morning. The girl's father, Charles Jones, was convicted of second-degree murder for providing the gun used to kill Blake. 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. In 2007, police raided the home of Martin Westbrook, who at that time was allegedly already in custody for an armed robbery. Then I heard verbal commands after they were through firing," Few said. Armed with an MP5 submachine gun and behind a shield, Weekley had been tasked with being first into the home in search of murder suspect, Chauncey Owens. HuffPost reporter Radley Balko wrote last year that reality shows profiling police actions support a growing "police-industrial-entertainment complex": Over the last decade or so, the cable dial has been stuffed full of programming that serves to make us more comfortable with police units that treat neighborhoods like battlefields. 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. testified that he put his gun to her granddaughter's head and pulled the trigger, escorted from the courtroom after an emotional outburst directed at Weekley during her testimony, misdemeanor that might not carry a jail sentence if he is convicted. Killing of Aiyana Jones. The hunt for a murder suspect was being recorded by a crew from 'The First 48,' a police show on A&E Networks. Jones maintains his innocence. We hope this resolution will provide everyone involved a measure of closure," Garcia said in a statement. He has been profiled by the A&E show "Detroit SWAT.". Information includes the borrower, lender, address or legal description of the property . Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The girl was shot in the head while she slept on a couch. 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. He insists he accidentally fired his gun during a. Nov. 15Trust deeds This list includes trust deeds (to secure repayment of a loan) of $750,000 or more. Officer Joseph Weekley still faces a charge of reckless discharge of a firearm in the death of Aiyana Stanley-Jones. He says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. After two mistrials, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office dismissed the remaining misdemeanor charge of careless discharge of a weapon causing death. The law is a gray area at best. "I stuck my hands out the window. He also could have been cleared of all charges. According to the Detroit Free Press, prosecutors allege that Owens told Je'Rean: "Stay right here. 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. 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. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. Owned and operated by the Hernandez family UglyJudge.com UGLYJUDGE Copyright 2006-2023 All Rights Reserved Notice: "We, are not attorneys. 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. Joseph / ( dzf) / noun Old Testament the eleventh son of Jacob and one of the 12 patriarchs of Israel (Genesis 30:2-24) either or both of two tribes descended from his sons Ephraim and Manasseh Saint Joseph New Testament the husband of Mary the mother of Jesus (Matthew 1:16-25). 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. But supporters of the seven-year-old victim, Aiyana Jones, said they believe the jury was unable to reach a decision due to race. A flash-bang grenade shattered the front bay window and exploded seconds before the Weekley-led Special Response Team barged though the front door. Judge Dismisses Manslaughter Charge For Cop Who Shot 7-Year-Old To Death. 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. We do not give legal advice. Detroit police officer who killed sleeping seven-year-old no longer facing charges. He was accused of being 'grossly negligent' in how he handled his submachine gun as his black-clad, masked and armed unit stormed the Detroit home to capture a suspect in May 2010. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Weekley was indicted in 2011 and charged with felony involuntary manslaughter, as well as the careless discharge of a firearm causing death. "I seen the light leave out of her eyes.". Prosecutors claim Aiyana's father, Charles Jones, gave Owens the gun he used to kill Je'Rean. "He's on vacation now, but when he returns, he'll be in a limited duty capacity," Craig told Hunter. 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