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. 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. All rights reserved. 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). Though many details about the events surrounding Aiyana's death were revealed in the 2013 trial, a number of questions remain unanswered. 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. College No schools to show High school Went to Eastern Montgomery Photos See all photos Others Named Joseph Weekley Joey Weekley Joe Weekley But he was killed in his Tucson home on May 5, 2011, in a SWAT team assault gone awry. Time spent in the car between cases or office meetings. 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. theguardian.com. Police neglected to account for or flatly disregarded the safety of any potential children that might be present. In February, Owens was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Unfortunately, a beautiful little girl, Aiyana Stanley-Jones, 7, lost her life because of his reckless and violent actions. 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. Weekley was first tried in Stanley-Jones' death last year; a hung jury caused a mistrial. , updated She denies that she interfered in any way. Joseph Weekley testifying at first trial in June, 2013. (John T. Greilick/Detroit News via AP, File) Jones had previously said the shot came from outside the house. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. 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. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. ID 321.) Do Not Sell My Personal Information. "The only thing I heard was gunshots. Neighbor arrested on suspicion of homicide for throwing firebomb' at toddler and three adults in their California home, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Amplified jet stream could lead to 'disruptive snow in places', Dashcam captures moment two cars collide on a roundabout, Putin orders intelligence service to find 'scum' who oppose him, Police search allotment sheds for Constance Marten's missing baby, Gabor Mat: No Jewish state without oppressing local population, Moment teenager crashes into back of lorry after 100mph police race, Child reads from sexually explicit book at Maine school board meeting, Woman appears to fake injury while arguing with tradie next door, Travis Scott performs in NYC before 'punching sound engineer', Student-athlete tells police her coach said 'kill yourself'. Case in point: Officer Joseph Weekley. 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. This Monday, jury selection began for Weekley's retrial. Anthony Potts recalled the night 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones was killed during a police raid. All too often we see police officers murder the innocent only to be exonerated by a grand jury or acquitted during a trial. When Detroiters rallied last year for Trayvon Martin, the unarmed Florida teen killed by a neighborhood watchman in 2012, Mertilla Jones addressed the crowd. Sally LaBorde, a passenger in the van Dixon was driving, also testified, saying she could clearly see Few pointing to Jeremy in the car, and the implication was unmistakable that he wanted Dixon to take care of his son, according to the Advocate. 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. 18:48 GMT 19 Jun 2013 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. He said the settlement "won't provide full justice. Police1 is revolutionizing the way the law enforcement community 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. 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. 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. According to Weekley, a fellow officer threw a flash-bang grenade through the window, temporarily blinding him. 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. He says he accidentally fired his gun during. 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. Meanwhile, Weekley released a statement shortly before the mistrial was declared. When asked by prosecutors if knowing children were in the house would have forced police to change raid tactics, Davis responded: 'Probably not.'. On the third day of deliberations, loud voices could be heard coming from the jury room. The settlement still needs approval from the Detroit City Council. "He won't be in the field.". , updated 'There has not been one single day that has gone by since that day where I have not thought about the loss of Aiyana and I will be haunted by this tragedy for the rest of my life.'. AP Photo by Carlos Osorio. 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. The girl was shot in the head while she slept on a couch. Local 4 News every morning. Detroit Officer Joseph Weekley is charged with involuntary manslaughter. Defendant Joseph Weekely, right, and A&E producer Allison Howard, who was at the raid, sit in. Weekley is also currently named along with other SWAT members in a federal lawsuit, filed in 2009, claiming they pointed guns at children and shot two dogs during a raid in 2007 that netted a man who is now serving seven to 15 years in prison for armed robbery. "The guy was just pointing right there and Aiyana [was] hit," Jones testified last year. He told The Huffington Post that he questioned the motives of officials who "zealously" went after the father of a girl shot by a cop, describing the prosecution's case as extremely thin. We believe today's settlement is fair because it balances the needs of Aiyana's family and our responsibility for the city's finances. When Weekley stepped inside, he fired a single shot that went through Stanley-Jones' head. Weekley was a member of Detroits Special Response Team, which was sent to an east side neighbourhood to capture a suspect in the killing of a teenager outside a convenience store. 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. 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. Weekley's fingerprints and DNA were also not found on the gun. The target, Chauncey Owens, was eventually arrested and convicted of killing a 17-year-old boy. A judge has declared a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a verdict for a police officer who shot dead a young girl during a chaotic search for a murder suspect that was recorded by a reality TV crew. 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. Detroit Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia announced the settlement with the family of Aiyana Stanley-Jones four days before a civil trial was to begin. By Jose had just turned in, having worked 12 hours straight at a local mine, when his home was invaded. The Michigan Supreme Court last Septembercleared the way for a trial or settlementwhen it declined to hear an appeal after two courts ruled a jury could decide whether Weekley's actions amounted to gross negligence. Critics of police militarization have pointed to Aiyana's death when looking at ramifications of the increased use of SWAT teams among local law enforcement. The only full justice would be to bring Aiyana back and I can't do that.". 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 protester holds a sign referencing Aiyana Stanley-Jones at a rally for Trayvon Martin in Detroit on July 14, 2013. Under cross-examination Monday, Jones said the officers were negligent. 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. 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 Detroit police officer who killed seven-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones will not be retried. 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. 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. He claims he accidentally pulled the trigger when Aiyanas grandmother, Mertilla Jones, grabbed his gun. 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. Last year the city settled with Aiyana's family for $8.25 million. Moments earlier, Aiyana was sleeping beneath a "Hanna Montana" blanket on the couch next to her grandmother. A flash-bang grenade shattered the front bay window and exploded seconds before the Weekley-led Special Response Team barged though the front door. The kids are having a great time and we're just really happy for the children," Weekley said on the videotape. "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. Nathan Weekley is the brother of Joseph Weekley, a former SWAT officer for the Detroit police force, who was reassigned after fatally shooting 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones during a May. 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. 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. "I stuck my hands out the window. The settlement still needs approval from the Detroit City Council. Owens was suspected of having killed a teenager a few days earlier, a charge for which he would eventually be convicted. Daily Mail Reporter Copyright 2003 by ClickOnDetroit.com. 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. But race, the jurors said, never played a role in deliberations, despite the fact that Weekley is white, and Aiyana was black. 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. At the beginning of the case, jurors were asked to decide the officer's fate. 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. Jones told a different story at Weekley's trial last year. Jury selection starts on Monday in Wayne County court, 15 months after Weekleys first trial ended with jurors unable to agree on a verdict. All too often we see police officers murder the innocent only to be exonerated by a grand jury or acquitted during a trial. 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. Detroit Police Chief James Craig told George Hunter of the Detroit News last week that Weekley was restored to active duty April 2. It was Owens they were after. JOSEPH WEEKLEY, INC. JOSEPH WEEKLEY, INC. is a California Stock Corporation - Ca - General filed on August 12, 2003. Fishman was referring to the prosecution, not the defense. 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. 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. 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. It said: No matter the outcome of any jury's decision, I have already been devastated and my life has been ruined irreparably by the events that occurred on May 16, 2010. By That's wrong to me.'. Officer Weekley, who is white, is still free. 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. I understand there is a certain part of the public that is crying foul on this. "We're really happy to help out any way we can. He has been free on personal bond since his arraignment in 2011. 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. 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. 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. prosecution will file an emergency appeal, shot Stanley-Jones in 2010 during a botched police raid in search of a murder suspect. Weekley testified the grandmother struck his weapon and caused him. "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. Officer Joseph Weekley says the victim's grandmother grabbed his weapon during a midnight raid. 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. All rights reserved. Greenhouse also happens to be the son of the assistant district attorney in Marksville. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). 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. He says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. This website is to expose government corruption, law enforcement corruption, political corruption, and judicial corruption. Prosecutor Rob Moran argued: 'His training says, keep your finger off the trigger. Detroit Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia announced the settlement with the family of Aiyana Stanley-Jones four days before a civil trial was to begin. 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. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. But the shot killed Aiyana. Find the perfect carolina edgecombe stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. The fact that a police officer received such a hefty sentence is a win for victims of police misconduct across the country. In November 2015,Few's fiance came forward about her relationship to Greenhouse. Report your Judge, Lawyer or Government Office, Report your Judge, Attorney & Public Official Today. Photo by Thomas Alex Graves. The Michigan State Police are investigating the shooting. 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. But prosecutors charged him with involuntary manslaughter because they believe he handled his submachine gun recklessly, causing the girls death. The Huffington Post has compiled an extensive background on what we know happened before, and since, Aiyana Stanley-Jones lost her life. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. It's then that Weekley says Mertila Jones bore down on him with her arm striking his gun. 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