Meanwhile, Weekley released a statement shortly before the mistrial was declared. "He's heartsick, because he lost his daughter and he got charged with something he didn't do," Weiss said of Jones. 'They knew there were children in there. The film. JOSEPH WEEKLEY, INC. JOSEPH WEEKLEY, INC. is a California Stock Corporation - Ca - General filed on August 12, 2003. This website is to expose government corruption, law enforcement corruption, political corruption, and judicial corruption. Weekley, a member of an elite police unit, was the first officer through the door during a chaotic search for a murder suspect at her home. Judge Dismisses Manslaughter Charge For Cop Who Shot 7-Year-Old To Death. 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. (Kathleen Galligan/Detroit Free Press via AP, File) He went in there to protect the citizens of Detroit from a man wanted for murder, Diaz said. All rights reserved. We do not practice law. It was about 9:30 AM. Dominika Stanley, left, the mother of Aiyana Jones, seven, sits next to Aiyanas father Charles Jones in Southfield, Michigan in 2010. 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. 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. The girl was shot in the head while she slept on a couch. All rights reserved. But he was killed in his Tucson home on May 5, 2011, in a SWAT team assault gone awry. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement that her office was moving to dismiss the case against Officer Joseph Weekley. A Detroit police officer accused of manslaughter in the death of a 7-year-old girl will go on trial this week, as national attention remains focused on the militarization of U.S. law enforcement. It was the first time any family member had stood in front of Weekley and directly accused him. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). Jones was convicted of second-degree murder in Je'Rean's death, though he was found not guilty of first-degree murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm or using a firearm during a felony. # 22-13, Pg. On the night of the shooting on May 16, 2010, police and the Special Response Team went to an address in Detroit's east side to carry out a search for a murder suspect. Weekley had been facing a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for the manslaughter charge. Officer Weekley, who is white, is still free. 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. Despite our concerns about lawyers in general, We suggest that anyone with legal questions consult an attorney for an answer, particularly after reading anything on this website. 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. 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. 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. Then-Police Chief Warren Evans resigned from his post several months later, after authorities discovered he was pitching a reality show called "The Chief.". by a Detroit police officer, Joseph Weekley. Detroit Police Media Relations Director June West said Weekley returned to active duty on a "restricted" basis "a couple weeks ago.". 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. The girl was shot in the head while she slept on a couch. He said the settlement "won't provide full justice. According to the Advocate,Megan Dixon, Fews fiance at the time, said Few had a previous run-in with Greenhouse. However, the juryand the judge did not buy it. Opening statements in Weekley's new trial are scheduled to begin this week in the Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit. It was Owens they were after. He has been profiled by the A&E show "Detroit SWAT.". 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. (John T. Greilick/Detroit News via AP, File) The prosecution will file an emergency appeal with the Court of Appeals, according to the Detroit News. The little girl, 7 years old, died instantly. Weekely could still face a third re-trial. The Huffington Post has compiled an extensive background on what we know happened before, and since, Aiyana Stanley-Jones lost her life. 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. She died a short time later. That's wrong to me.'. Daily Mail Reporter, 2010 raid was being filmed for reality TV show 'The First 48 Hours', Body found shot dead near home of New England Patriots tight end identified as another football player in semi-professional league, Parents beware: Children could be playing a Simpsons game that has 'hidden anti-gun messages' and 'mocks NRA', Would you want to live next door to this man? Weekley says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. 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. By 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. On the evening of May 16, 2010, the Detroit Police Departments Special Response Team (SRT) prepared for a surprise raid to arrest a wanted man. He said Tuesday plans to protest the return of Weekley are in the works but not finalized. He spotted housemate Vincent Ellis standing in a doorway just before a stun grenade exploded, temporarily blinding him. 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. To read the full Conyers story, click here. In Michigan, such a crime carries a potential 15 year prison sentence. Jose Guerena, 26, was a Marine Corps veteran who'd served two tours of duty in Iraq. I know in my heart and before God that what transpired that day was out of my control, but I will still have terrible grief weigh upon me every day for the rest of my life, his statement said. Owens was suspected of having killed a teenager a few days earlier, a charge for which he would eventually be convicted. Killing of Aiyana Jones. Sleeping 7-year-old girl shot in head during no-knock police raid on wrong home 'This is a bittersweet outcome: Bitter because Weekley was not convicted, and sweet in that justice for Aiyana Jones will come soon,' said Roland Lawrence. 20:54 GMT 19 Jun 2013. 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. Jurors later told the judge they couldnt reach a verdict. This was an emotional case, the jury foreman told the media afterward. When Weekley returned to the family room, he watched Jones straddling her dying granddaughter, speechless and seemingly "in shock." Weekley has been listed in various paid, off-duty statuses since the shooting early May 16, 2010. "The only thing I heard was gunshots. 18:48 GMT 19 Jun 2013 The trial featured a multicultural jury made up of eight women and four men, four of whom were African Americans. Fishman was referring to the prosecution, not the defense. (Dkt. 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. That the ten-year-anniversary of Aiyana's death passed largely unacknowledged, . It's then that Weekley says Mertila Jones bore down on him with her arm striking his gun. Mertilla Jones, who witnessed Detroit police officer Joe Weekley shoot her granddaughter Aiyana in May 2010, speaks at Grand Circus Park on July 14, 2013 in Detroit. All too often we see police officers murder the innocent only to be exonerated by a grand jury or acquitted during a trial. A judge has dropped the felony charge leveled against Joseph Weekley, the Detroit police officer who in 2010 shot 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones to death. 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. "I stuck my hands out the window. Moments ago, one of the cops who killed 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis while on duty, was sentenced to an unprecedented 40 years in prison. , updated As a medical device rep, it's common knowledge that we have a lot of "window time". They've criticized the nighttime raid and the possible use of excessive force, particularly the use of a flash-bang grenade. But prosecutors charged him with involuntary manslaughter because they believe he handled his submachine gun recklessly, causing the girls death. As the Free Thought Project has previously reported, this entire scenario could've been over a relationship. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Police1 is revolutionizing the way the law enforcement community 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Besides the glaring presence of toys strewn about the lawn and front porch, it is unlikely that investigators could have missed the presence of four young children and multi-generational family in the opposite unit during their surveillance of the duplex. According to ABC local afiliate WXYZ, evidence presented in court Thursday showed that neither Jones' fingerprints nor DNA were found on the officer's gun. Greenhouse also happens to be the son of the assistant district attorney in Marksville. They were conducting a police raid in search of a murder suspect who lived at that address -- and being filmed for a reality TV show in the process -- when Officer Joseph Weekley accidentally fired his gun. 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. 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. Weiss is seeking a new trial for Jones, who is currently serving a prison sentence of 40 to 60 years. 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 recorded for a police reality TV show, The First 48, but there was no footage from inside the house. Photo by Thomas Alex Graves. This Monday, jury selection began for Weekley's retrial. By Belinda Robinson for MailOnline After Aiyana's death, the mayor banned police from working with reality TV crews. 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. Weekley, a member of an elite police squad, was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Aiyana, who was shot in the head in May 2010 while sleeping on her grandmother's couch. Since Aiyana's death, critics have denounced the practice of having TV producers in the midst of police investigations, and activists have argued that having a television crew present could have affected how the police executed their search warrant the night Aiyana was killed -- creating more of a spectacle than was necessary, for the sake of the cameras. She was in her pajamas. Jones had previously said the shot came from outside the house. 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. Weekley has said that the girl's grandmother, Mertilla Jones, who had also been asleep on the couch when police arrived, came up to him and grabbed his gun, causing him to shoot. According to attorneys for the Jones family, video evidence shows that at that point, Officer Joseph Weekley, a regular guest on reality television, shot inside the home, killing Aiyana. Associated Press 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 stun grenade was thrown through a window to confuse anyone inside. The officers entered Stanley-Joness home searching for a murder suspect who was later found in the adjacent unit, throwing a flashbang grenade into the room where the girl was sleeping with her grandmother, then shooting her in the head seconds later. Judge Hathaway declared a hung jury after less than three days of deliberations. At the beginning of the case, jurors were asked to decide the officer's fate. neither Jones' fingerprints nor DNA were found on the officer's gun. 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. This website does not provide legal advice. Weekley was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but a judge dismissed that charge during a second trial in 2014. "The police are not just going in looking to hurt people; that's not the case at all. Police, being filmed by A&E's "The First 48," were looking for Chauncey Owens, who has since been convicted of killing 17-year-old Je'Rean Blake outside a nearby party store. He said he began to realize what happened. Some video shot from the sidewalk was part of the evidence. There were no threats. 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. and Police threw a stun grenade through a window, emitting smoke, bright light and vibrations to confuse anyone inside. The target, Chauncey Owens, was eventually arrested and convicted of killing a 17-year-old boy. So why would they come in there like that? Weekley says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. But race, the jurors said, never played a role in deliberations, despite the fact that Weekley is white, and Aiyana was black. Officer Joseph Weekley had been charged in the death of Aiyana Stanley Jones. During Weekleys first trial, a fellow officer, Shawn Stallard, testified that he did not see anyone struggle with Weekley. the 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. She said she'd initially been asleep on the couch with Aiyana, but that she was on the floor when Weekley shot his weapon, not close enough to touch the gun. The city of Detroit has reached an $8.25 million settlement with the family of . ID 321.) By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. 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. Daily Mail Reporter 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. They came to kill, and they killed a 7-year-old.'. Especially for | 12 comentarios en LinkedIn Aiyana Stanley-Jones was sleeping in her home on the east side of Detroit on the night of May 16, 2010, when officers barged into the house. The only reason Few ran from Greenhouse that night was to catch up with Dixon so he could give her Jeremy in case he was arrested. 19:48 GMT 11 Oct 2014, A trial against a Detroit police officer accused of shooting dead a seven-year-old girl ended in a mistrial after the jury became 'hopelessly deadlocked.'. AP Photo by Carlos Osorio. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current . (John T. Greilick/Detroit News via AP, File), FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2014, file photo, Dominika Stanley wipes away tears after Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway declares a mistrial after a jury said they cannot reach a verdict in a criminal trial against Detroit Police Officer Joseph Weekley, accused of shooting her daughter Aiyana Stanley-Jones, at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice, in Detroit. 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. The jury composed of nine men and four women was seated Thursday in Wayne County Circuit Court and is expected to hear opening statements Monday morning in the trial of Joseph Weekley. 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