He said the settlement "won't provide full justice. finds relevant news, identifies important training information, If convicted, Weekley could face up to 15 years behind bars. 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 November 2015,Few's fiance came forward about her relationship to Greenhouse. They're looking to protect," said Detroit Mayor Dave Bing Wednesday. 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. As he was trained, Weekley testified his finger was outside the trigger guard when he entered the home carrying a large ballistics shield that he dropped almost immediately after entering the home. The hunt for a murder suspect was being recorded by a crew from 'The First 48,' a police show on A&E Networks. By The Registered Agent on file for this company is Joseph Weekley and is located at 141 Duesenberg Drive Ste 7b, Westlake Village, CA 91362. Judge Dismisses Manslaughter Charge For Cop Who Shot 7-Year-Old To Death. Lexipol. The comments of visitors or guest authors to the website are their opinions and do not therefore reflect our opinions. Meanwhile, Weekley released a statement shortly before the mistrial was declared. Whatever this website says about the law is presented in the context of how we or others perceive the applicability of the law to a set of circumstances if one of us (or some other author) was in the circumstances under the conditions discussed. But the shot killed Aiyana. Associated Press, 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. Game credits for World of WarCraft: Battle for Azeroth (Windows) During a late night police raid to apprehend a murder suspect, Defendant Officer Joseph Weekley somehow discharged his firearm, fatally wounding seven-year-old Aiyana Jones. 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When asked by prosecutors if knowing children were in the house would have forced police to change raid tactics, Davis responded: 'Probably not.'. Weekley says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. Westbrook and his wife sued Weekley and other members of the SRT for assault, false imprisonment and gross negligence, alleging that officers came into the home without warning, shot and killed the family's two dogs for no reason and pointed guns at a child and infant, according to the complaint. "I stuck my hands out the window. He says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). 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. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. The trial featured a multicultural jury made up of eight women and four men, four of whom were African Americans. During a raid targeting the apartment on the floor above Stanley-Jones, Officer Joseph Weekley of a SWAT-like team, fired a hand grenade into Stanley-Jones' unit, burning her blanket. Killing of Aiyana Jones. 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. It really came down to defining negligence, the foreman said. Howard received a sentence of two years' probation. 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. (John T. Greilick/Detroit News via AP, File) 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 has been a member of the SWAT team for six years, and on the Detroit police force for 14 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. Available for both RF and RM licensing. 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. He says he accidentally fired his gun during a. But supporters of the seven-year-old victim, Aiyana Jones, said they believe the jury was unable to reach a decision due to race. Charges officially dismissed against officer Joseph Weekley WXYZ 7 Action News is metro Detroit's leading source for breaking news, weather warnings, award-w. Ill never be the same, no.. However, for his family, the outcome of Greenhouse's future trial and the fact that Stafford just got 40 years, are the only things that can provide even a semblance of comfort. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. 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. 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. Weekley told jurors: I just feel devastated and depressed. 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. 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. He was arrested in a separate upstairs unit of the multi-family house. The Michigan State Police are investigating the shooting. 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. This button displays the currently selected search type. "Aiyana's death was a tragic loss for her family and has been a heavy burden on our community. Police sources also have told Local 4 that DPD?s SWAT team has been put on hold until further notice. "Innocent people do not run from the police. "He's on vacation now, but when he returns, he'll be in a limited duty capacity," Craig told Hunter. However, the Clerk of Court, the District Attorneys Office, Marksville Police Department, and City Court noted that they did not have any warrants against him. Search query 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. It was a little after midnight when the Detroit Police Special Response Team, a unit similar to a SWAT team, descended on the Stanely-Jones residence in search of murder suspect Chauncey Owens, who lived upstairs. Copyright 2023 Police1. Weekley has been listed in various paid, off-duty statuses since the shooting early May 16, 2010. Weekley says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. An anonymous Detroit official told Mother Jones in 2010 that using the grenade was "not protocol.". It should be of no surprise then, when we learn of SWAT raids not just for low-level drug crimes, but also for zoning violations or underage drinking, or that there are now police departments in America that serve every felony search warrant with a SWAT team, regardless of the crime. Officer Joseph Weekley had been charged in the death of Aiyana Stanley Jones. On May 16, 2010, plaintiff's decedent Aiyana Stanley-Jones, 7, was inside her Detroit home when she was shot in the head. All rights reserved. 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. What exactly caused him to fire is still a matter of dispute. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The jury could have convicted Weekley of involuntary manslaughter, a felony, or reckless discharge of a firearm, a misdemeanor. The Huffington Post has compiled an extensive background on what we know happened before, and since, Aiyana Stanley-Jones lost her life. Weekley says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. Photo by Thomas Alex Graves. Police threw a stun grenade through a window, and Weekley was the first officer through the door. As the Free Thought Project reported last week,Officer Derrick Stafford wasfound guilty of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter in the horrific fatal shooting of the six-year-old with autism on November 3, 2015. A man rides a bicycle past the house where Aiyana Stanley-Jones was killed in Detroit, Monday, May 17, 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. 20:54 GMT 19 Jun 2013. The raid was recorded for a police reality TV show, The First 48, but there was no footage from inside the house. The officers also claimed Few had a weapon, that was also a lie. Anthony Potts recalled the night 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones was killed during a police raid. Fishman attempted to discredit her while requesting dismissal of the manslaughter charge. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). The family's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, said the settlement should allow the family, the city and Weekley to move on from the tragedy. This was an emotional case, the jury foreman told the media afterward. The hyper-aggressive tactics were made worse by the fact that police had taken it upon themselves to raid both sides of a duplex, when their suspect was only known to reside in one of them. All rights reserved. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 Local 4 News every morning. 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. Dominika Stanley, left, the mother of Aiyana Jones, seven, sits next to Aiyanas father Charles Jones in Southfield, Michigan in 2010. Weekley says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. Officer on trial: Joseph Weekley testifies in his own defense When Weekley returned to the family room, he watched Jones straddling her dying granddaughter, speechless and seemingly "in shock." The justice system did not work in this case, he said. Weekley shot Stanley-Jones in 2010 during a botched police raid in search of a murder suspect. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. But Aiyana's great-uncle Fields added that he thought Weekley should apologize and say he made a mistake. (Kathleen Galligan/Detroit Free Press via AP, File), Paddock Publications, Inc. is an Employee-Owned Company. Belinda Robinson for MailOnline Then-Police Chief Warren Evans resigned from his post several months later, after authorities discovered he was pitching a reality show called "The Chief.". Associated Press. 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. Weekley claims his MP5 sub-machine gun fired when Aiyana's grandmother, Mertila Jones, slammed his gun with her hand. Officer Weekley faced his first trial in June 2013. The trial is expected to last about three weeks. They sent three notes, the last one indicating they still couldn't reach a unanimous verdict on the third day of deliberations, despite encouragement from Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway. DETROIT The SWAT team member whose gun, authorities say, killed 7-year-old Aiyana Jones Sunday during a raid at her home has been identified, and details about his police record have been released. 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. All too often we see police officers murder the innocent only to be exonerated by a grand jury or acquitted during a trial. At the time, Weekley said, he didn't even realize he had fired his gun, thinking the shot had been fired by someone else. He said he began to realize what happened. During the heartbreaking trial, Chris Few, Jeremy's dad, noted that Stafford and officer Norris Greenhouse Jr. immediately started firing with no warning when they stopped him on that fateful night. However, in Jeremy's case, they seem to be making ground for now. 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. The Michigan Supreme Court last September cleared the way for a trial or settlement when it declined to hear an appeal after two courts ruled a jury could decide whether Weekley's actions amounted to gross negligence. Detroit Police Chief James Craig told George Hunter of the Detroit News last week that Weekley was restored to active duty April 2. The pair later exchanged the marriage vows and tied the knot on June 22, 2019, in Denver, Florida. Was she not. He would have been charged with second-degree murder.". Information includes the borrower, lender, address or legal description of the property . Aiyana MoNay Stanley-Jones July 20 2002 May 16 2010 was a seven-year-old African-American girl from Detroits East Side who was shot in the neck and 18:48 GMT 19 Jun 2013 Davis, the officer who tossed the stun grenade, said the team was unaware children were inside. Police1 is revolutionizing the way the law enforcement community Weekley was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but a judge dismissed that charge during a second trial in 2014. Who Is DPD Officer Joseph Weekley? However, the juryand the judge did not buy it. That the ten-year-anniversary of Aiyana's death passed largely unacknowledged, . Weekley was first tried in connection with Aiyana's death in 2013, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict. 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. The raid occurred after midnight, and Weekley was first through the door of the Stanley-Jones home on the east side of Detroit, as a film crew shadowing the officers filmed for a reality television show. "It's my gun that shot and killed a 7-year-old girl," Weekley told Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Robert Moran during his first trial in 2013. Jose had just turned in, having worked 12 hours straight at a local mine, when his home was invaded. Weekley was first through the door, with a shield in one hand and a gun in the other. The family's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, said the settlement should allow the family, the city and Weekley to move on from the tragedy. 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. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). Copyright 2023 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. "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. 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. Sadly, for Jeremy Mardis, who will never see another Christmas or Birthday or throw the ball with his dad, the reason for the stop that night is irrelevant. Charges Dismissed Against Joseph Weekley, Cop Who Fatally Shot Sleeping 7-Year-Old. Weekley is being retried after a jury failed to reach a verdict last year in . Photo by Paul Warner/Getty Images. The law is a gray area at best. Mertilla Jones, who. The jurors, asked that their names not be made public as they explained what happened over four days of deliberations. 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 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. The bullet struck and killed Aiyana. Officer Joseph Weekley fatally shot the young girl in what he claimed was an alleged struggle with Jones's grandmother, Mertilla Jones, though she says she had just reached over to protect the. 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. To read the full Conyers story, click here. 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. The prosecution and defense have offered contradictory depictions of the events leading up to Stanley-Jones' death. 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. The Detroit police officer who fatally shot a sleeping 7-year-old girl will not be retried, officials said Wednesday. This website does not provide legal advice. 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. 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. 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. Copyright 2003 by ClickOnDetroit.com. 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. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced. 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. Officer Joseph Weekley's first trial ended in a hung jury, and a judge eventually dismissed the charges against him after a second trial in 2014. 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. Brown's death, and the extreme tactics of police amid ensuing local protests, have sparked national conversations about police brutality and institutional racism in police forces across the country. Aiyana was sleeping on one end of the couch, and her grandmother Mertilla Jones was on the other in May 2010 when an armed, black-clad and masked police officers stormed the apartment. , updated During the last vote, the panel was split 7 to 5, with seven voting not guilty and five saying Weekley was guilty of the charge. In Michigan, such a crime carries a potential 15 year prison sentence. It was the first time any family member had stood in front of Weekley and directly accused him. Judge Hathaway told the jurors: 'These things happen., But the little girl's distraught uncle Londell Fields said: 'I don't understand how we can go through this again and have all this evidence brought forth and there not be a verdict either way. "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.". Some video shot from the sidewalk was part of the evidence. Case in point: Officer Joseph Weekley. The base salary for News Anchor ranges from $51,971 to $85,465 with the average base salary of $64,795. 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. Weekley drives the SWAT team's armored personnel carrier. Associated Press Associated Press 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 . The prosecution and defense have offered contradictory depictions of the events leading up to Stanley-Jones' death. A stun grenade was thrown through a window to confuse anyone inside. 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. DETROIT, MI -- It's been five years since Detroit Police Officer Joseph Weekley led a SWAT team in search of a murder suspect and fatally shot 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Jones maintains his innocence. Weekley testified the grandmother struck his weapon and caused him. 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 raid commenced at roughly 12:40 a.m. Detroit police officer who killed sleeping seven-year-old no longer facing charges. College No schools to show High school Went to Eastern Montgomery Photos See all photos Others Named Joseph Weekley Joey Weekley Joe Weekley They kept firing.". He says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. As a medical device rep, it's common knowledge that we have a lot of "window time". 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Sgt. Detroit Police Media Relations Director June West said Weekley returned to active duty on a "restricted" basis "a couple weeks ago.". He also helped organize a recent event called Run With the Cops, Not From Them. 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. 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.