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. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. We do not give legal advice. Detroit Police Media Relations Director June West said Weekley returned to active duty on a "restricted" basis "a couple weeks ago.". But supporters of the seven-year-old victim, Aiyana Jones, said they believe the jury was unable to reach a decision due to race. 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. "Aiyana's death was a tragic loss for her family and has been a heavy burden on our community. All too often we see police officers murder the innocent only to be exonerated by a grand jury or acquitted during a trial. I've got something for you." (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. The jury foreman, a pastor said:This has not been an easy case.. She died a short time later. 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. 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? 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. Dominika Stanley, left, the mother of Aiyana Jones, seven, sits next to Aiyanas father Charles Jones in Southfield, Michigan in 2010. But Aiyana's great-uncle Fields added that he thought Weekley should apologize and say he made a mistake. The only full justice would be to bring Aiyana back and I can't do that.". Copyright 2003 by ClickOnDetroit.com. 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. 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. 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. 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. Part of HuffPost Black Voices. 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. This website is to expose government corruption, law enforcement corruption, political corruption, and judicial corruption. Enter https://www.police1.com/ and click OK. The special response team that arrived at the Stanley-Jones home two nights later was looking for Owens, who was involved with Aiyana's aunt and lived in the flat on the second story. According to the Greenhouse and Stafford, the officers decided to conduct a traffic stop because Few had an outstanding warrant. Police sources also have told Local 4 that DPD?s SWAT team has been put on hold until further notice. 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. Police threw a stun grenade through a window, and Weekley was the first officer through the door. "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. Jones maintains his innocence. A stun grenade was thrown through a window to confuse anyone inside. 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. "I stuck my hands out the window. Fishman attempted to discredit her while requesting dismissal of the manslaughter charge. Yahoo News Yahoo News . 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. "The only evidence that points to any kind of knowingly creating a danger or intending to cause injury, the only testimony is that of Mertilla Jones, which is by its nature and by comparison to the other testimony, including the medical examiner, is completely and totally unbelievable," Fishman told the judge on Friday. 17:14 GMT 11 Oct 2014 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. The fact that a police officer received such a hefty sentence is a win for victims of police misconduct across the country. 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 Detroit police officer who fatally shot a sleeping 7-year-old girl will not be retried, officials said Wednesday. Defendant Joseph Weekely, right, and A&E producer Allison Howard, who was at the raid, sit in. 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 prosecution will file an emergency appeal with the Court of Appeals, according to the Detroit News. "He won't be in the field.". An anonymous Detroit official told Mother Jones in 2010 that using the grenade was "not protocol.". College No schools to show High school Went to Eastern Montgomery Photos See all photos Others Named Joseph Weekley Joey Weekley Joe Weekley interacts online and researches product purchases Weekley says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. 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. 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. A man rides a bicycle past the house where Aiyana Stanley-Jones was killed in Detroit, Monday, May 17, 2010. Available for both RF and RM licensing. That the ten-year-anniversary of Aiyana's death passed largely unacknowledged, . 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. The girl was shot in the head while she slept on a couch. Rep. John Conyers has also asked the U.S. Department of Justice to launch an investigation into the girl's shooting death. He was arrested in a separate upstairs unit of the multi-family house. DPD Spokesman John Roach said the Detroit Police Department SWAT team member is 34-year-old officer Joseph Weekley. Joseph Weekley shot Aiyana Stanley-Jones in 2010 Officer charged with involuntary manslaughter Dominika Stanley, left, the mother of Aiyana Jones, seven, sits next to Aiyana's father Charles . 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. 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. Unfortunately, a beautiful little girl, Aiyana Stanley-Jones, 7, lost her life because of his reckless and violent actions. 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. (Dkt. Joseph Weekley testifying at first trial in June, 2013. When Weekley returned to the family room, he watched Jones straddling her dying granddaughter, speechless and seemingly "in shock." Download the Yahoo News app. 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. 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. Weekley was charged with involuntary manslaughter, but a judge dismissed that charge during a second trial in 2014. Detroit Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia announced the settlement with the family of Aiyana Stanley-Jones four days before a civil trial was to begin. 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. 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. After Aiyana's death, the mayor banned police from working with reality TV crews. Aiyana Stanley-Jones was 7 years old when Detroit Police Officer Joseph Weekley "accidentally" shot her as she lay sleeping in her grandmother's home. theguardian.com. The city of Detroit has reached an $8.25 million settlement with the family of . So why would they come in there like that? "Innocent people do not run from the police. 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. Not only wasthe justice system unable to hold Weekley accountable for the slaughter of a young girl but he wasreinstated to the force in 2015. Under cross-examination Monday, Jones said the officers were negligent. Some video shot from the sidewalk was part of the evidence. Weekley's new trial comes amid national conversations about police brutality and institutional racism -- conversations sparked by the death of Michael Brown, the unarmed black teen shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri last month. "The whole reason there was even a chase was for his well-being," he said. , updated That's wrong to me.'. 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). (John T. Greilick/Detroit News via AP, File) 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. Greenhouse also happens to be the son of the assistant district attorney in Marksville. She denies that she interfered in any way. Police disputed the Westbrooks' version of events, according to the Free Press, but the case was settled late in 2010, some time after Aiyana's death. The raid was recorded for a police reality TV show, The First 48, but there was no footage from inside the house. All rights reserved. Charges Dismissed Against Joseph Weekley, Cop Who Fatally Shot Sleeping 7-Year-Old. and manufacturers. Officer Weekley faced his first trial in June 2013. Davis, the officer who tossed the stun grenade, said the team was unaware children were inside. 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. Detroit Officer Joseph Weekley is charged with involuntary manslaughter. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. ID 321.) This is Weekley's . Sgt. 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. 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. 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. 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. The company's filing status is listed as Suspended - Ftb and its File Number is 2555616. Officer Joseph Weekley was first through the door and after a flash-bang grenade went off, he fired his gun, killing Aiyana. 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. Jones told a different story at Weekley's trial last year. Wake up to the day's most important news. 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. 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. Unfortunately for the family of little Aiyana, justice failed them. Associated Press. Copyright 2023 All rights reserved (About Us). (Kathleen Galligan/Detroit Free Press via AP, File) It was the first time any family member had stood in front of Weekley and directly accused him. After prosecutors objected, the judge suspended her decision and ordered a recess until late morning. Judge Hathaway declared a hung jury after less than three days of deliberations. Mertilla Jones testified that Owens lived in the upper unit with her daughter, LaKrystal Sanders. The Registered Agent on file for this company is Joseph Weekley and is located at 141 Duesenberg Drive Ste 7b, Westlake Village, CA 91362. 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. Weekley's fingerprints and DNA were also not found on the gun. Case in point: Officer Joseph Weekley. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced. Hathaway then granted the prosecution's request for a stay on her decision and adjourned court until Monday. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Police1 is revolutionizing the way the law enforcement community and 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 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. 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. 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. "I seen the light leave out of her eyes.". 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