Unfortunately for the family of little Aiyana, justice failed them. The pair later exchanged the marriage vows and tied the knot on June 22, 2019, in Denver, Florida. 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. 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. Jose Guerena, 26, was a Marine Corps veteran who'd served two tours of duty in Iraq. , updated Case in point: Officer Joseph Weekley. Officer Joseph Weekley was charged in connection with Jones' death. Weekley is being retried after a jury failed to reach a verdict last year in . 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. 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. Davis, the officer who tossed the stun grenade, said the team was unaware children were inside. Officer Joseph Weekley, a member of the Detroit Police Special Response Team, was indicted on an involuntary manslaughter charge after a nearly yearlong Michigan State Police investigation into . By But he was killed in his Tucson home on May 5, 2011, in a SWAT team assault gone awry. When Weekley stepped inside, he fired a single shot that went through Stanley-Jones' head. A former high school classmate of Dixon, Greenhouse had started messaging her on Facebook and had come by the house Few and Dixon were sharing at the time. The bullet struck and killed Aiyana. Detroit Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia announced the settlement with the family of Aiyana Stanley-Jones four days before a civil trial was to begin. 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. "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.". 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. Weekley was first tried in connection with Aiyana's death in 2013, but the jury was unable to reach a verdict. 17:14 GMT 11 Oct 2014 Some video shot from the sidewalk was part of the evidence. Mertilla Jones testified that Owens lived in the upper unit with her daughter, LaKrystal Sanders. Officer Joseph Weekley still faces a charge of reckless discharge of a firearm in the death of Aiyana Stanley-Jones. By Prosecutor Rob Moran argued: 'His training says, keep your finger off the trigger. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Officers were briefed that theyd be entering a possible dope den, in which the suspect might be armed and might even possess dangerous dogs.. A flash-bang grenade shattered the front bay window and exploded seconds before the Weekley-led Special Response Team barged though the front door. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current . 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. College No schools to show High school Went to Eastern Montgomery Photos See all photos Others Named Joseph Weekley Joey Weekley Joe Weekley Two days later, the decedent's father filed law suits in both the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Wayne County . Sgt. Two days before the raid 17-year-old Je'rean Blake was standing outside a neighborhood convenience store when he was shot to death following a dispute. (Kathleen Galligan/Detroit Free Press via AP, File), Paddock Publications, Inc. is an Employee-Owned Company. Opening statements in Weekley's new trial are scheduled to begin this week in the Wayne County Circuit Court 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 protester holds a sign referencing Aiyana Stanley-Jones at a rally for Trayvon Martin in Detroit on July 14, 2013. Look for a box or option labeled Home Page (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari) or On Startup (Chrome). 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. Owens pleaded guilty in April 2011 to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 28 years in prison for Blake's slaying. 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. Officer on trial: Joseph Weekley testifies in his own defense 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 he was shot, Few lost consciousness and didn't know his son died until he woke up in a hospital six days later the day of Jeremy's funeral. This was an emotional case, the jury foreman told the media afterward. But prosecutors charged him with involuntary manslaughter because they believe he handled his submachine gun recklessly, causing the girls death. 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. 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. After two mistrials, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office dismissed the remaining misdemeanor charge of careless discharge of a weapon causing death. Since the shooting, Weekley has been placed on a desk job. 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. The Huffington Post has compiled an extensive background on what we know happened before, and since, Aiyana Stanley-Jones lost her life. Charges officially dismissed against officer Joseph Weekley WXYZ 7 Action News is metro Detroit's leading source for breaking news, weather warnings, award-w. 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. Rep. John Conyers has also asked the U.S. Department of Justice to launch an investigation into the girl's shooting death. and According to the Greenhouse and Stafford, the officers decided to conduct a traffic stop because Few had an outstanding warrant. All too often we see police officers murder the innocent only to be exonerated by a grand jury or acquitted during a trial. They've criticized the nighttime raid and the possible use of excessive force, particularly the use of a flash-bang grenade. According to the Detroit Free Press, Weekley said during his 2013 trial that he'd executed 300 search warrants during his time on the Special Response Team, and had been the first man through the door in about 100 of those. 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. and Moments earlier, Aiyana was sleeping beneath a "Hanna Montana" blanket on the couch next to her grandmother. Joseph Weekley shot Aiyana Stanley-Jones in 2010 Officer charged with involuntary manslaughter. The only full justice would be to bring Aiyana back and I can't do that.". Fishman attempted to discredit her while requesting dismissal of the manslaughter charge. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. That the ten-year-anniversary of Aiyana's death passed largely unacknowledged, . Officer Weekley was indicted on October 4, 2011 by a Detroit grand jury, charged with Involuntary Manslaughter and Negligent Discharge of a Firearm in the tragic death of seven year old Alyania Stanley Jones in May 2010. The officers also claimed Few had a weapon, that was also a lie. 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. Copyright 2003 by ClickOnDetroit.com. Search query The Michigan State Police are investigating the shooting. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Weekley was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but a judge dismissed that charge during a second trial in 2014. They said that theynever agreed unanimously, but listened to each others view points, took three votes and had some jurors shift sides. It was the first time any family member had stood in front of Weekley and directly accused him. Sleeping 7-year-old girl shot in head during no-knock police raid on wrong home, Charges Dismissed Against Joseph Weekley, Cop Who Fatally Shot Sleeping 7-Year-Old, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QeD1uUgmKw. We hope this resolution will provide everyone involved a measure of closure," Garcia said in a statement. Associated Press 18:48 GMT 19 Jun 2013 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. As a medical device rep, it's common knowledge that we have a lot of "window time". The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced. "I stuck my hands out the window. Wayne County Judge Cynthia Hathaway said Weekley's trial will start Monday, Sept. 15, 2014 as planned. "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. Last year the city settled with Aiyana's family for $8.25 million. Sleeping 7-year-old girl shot in head during no-knock police raid on wrong home 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 . 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. Officer Weekley faced his first trial in June 2013. theguardian.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. Owens was suspected of having killed a teenager a few days earlier, a charge for which he would eventually be convicted. DPD Spokesman John Roach said the Detroit Police Department SWAT team member is 34-year-old officer Joseph Weekley. His attorney, Leon Weiss, calls the verdict "contradictory and compromised," pointing out that it found Jones not guilty of having a gun and yet suggested that he was guilty of second-degree murder for giving Owens a gun. 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. Charges Dismissed Against Joseph Weekley, Cop Who Fatally Shot Sleeping 7-Year-Old Detroit police officer Joseph Weekley was spared a felony conviction on Tuesday over the killing of a 7-year-old girl after a jury deadlocked and a mistrial was declared, according to Detroit Free Press. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. Was she not. Jones had previously said the shot came from outside the house. At the beginning of the case, jurors were asked to decide the officer's fate. "The guy was just pointing right there and Aiyana [was] hit," Jones testified last year. Who Is DPD Officer Joseph Weekley? The judge dismissed the charge after defense attorney Steve Fishman said prosecutors didn't show that Weekley acted willfully. 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. But race, the jurors said, never played a role in deliberations, despite the fact that Weekley is white, and Aiyana was black. There were no threats. AP Photo by Carlos Osorio. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. "He won't be in the field.". Then I heard verbal commands after they were through firing," Few said. They were accompanied by a camera crew from a TV reality show called 'The First 48, but the midnight raid was recorded from the outside, not the inside where Aiyana was shot. 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. A stun grenade was thrown through a window to confuse anyone inside. An anonymous Detroit official told Mother Jones in 2010 that using the grenade was "not protocol.". Innocent people stop their vehicles, surrender to the police," defense attorney Jonathan Goins said as hecalled Few "the author of that child's fate," during the trial. Officer Joseph Weekley says the victim's grandmother grabbed his weapon during a midnight raid.
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