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Killing of Aiyana Jones

January 01, 1970

Aiyana Mo'Nay Stanley-Jones (July 20, 2002 – May 16, 2010) was a seven-year-old 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. The Team was targeting a suspect in the apartment a floor above Jones' on May 16, 2010.[2] Her death drew national media attention[3] and led U.S. Representative John Conyers to ask U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder for a federal investigation into the incident.[4]

Aiyana Jones
Aiyana Jones
Born
Aiyana MoNay Stanley-Jones

(2002-07-20)July 20, 2002
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
DiedMay 16, 2010(2010-05-16) (aged 7)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Cause of deathGunshot wound to the neck
Resting placeTrinity Cemetery[1]
5210 Mount Elliott Street
Detroit, Michigan 48211
Other namesAiyana Stanley-Jones
OccupationStudent
Known forShot in police raid
Parent(s)Charles Jones (father)
Dominika Stanley (mother)
RelativesMertilla Jones (grandmother)

Officer Joseph Weekley was charged in connection with Jones' killing. In October 2011, he was charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment with a gun. Weekley's first trial ended in a mistrial in June 2013.[5] His retrial began in September 2014. On October 3, the judge, Cynthia Gray Hathaway, dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charge against Weekley, leaving him on trial for only one charge: recklessly discharging a firearm.[6][7][8] On October 10, the second trial ended in another mistrial.[9][10] On January 28, 2015, a prosecutor dropped the last remaining charge against Weekley, ensuring there would not be a third trial.[11]

Background edit

On May 14, 2010, Southeastern High School senior Je'Rean Blake[12][13][14] was shot and killed near the intersection of Mack and Beniteau streets on Detroit's east side. By the end of the following day, police had identified Chauncey Owens as a suspect in Blake's death and obtained a warrant to search 4054 Lillibridge[12] St, where Owens was believed to be hiding.[15]

The building was a duplex; Owens's girlfriend LaKrysta Sanders lived in the upstairs apartment, while her mother and Aiyana Jones' grandmother, Mertilla Jones, lived in the downstairs apartment.[12] At the time of the incident Aiyana Jones was asleep on the couch in the front room of the downstairs apartment.[12] Owens was in the upstairs apartment.[12]

An A&E reality TV television crew was accompanying the police Special Response Team gathering footage for The First 48.[12] Weekley had been featured on another A&E police reality show, Detroit SWAT.[12]

Two weeks prior to the incident, a Detroit police officer had been killed in the line of duty while attempting to arrest a suspect.[12]

Owens was later found guilty of Blake's murder.[16]

People involved edit

Aiyana Jones was the daughter of Charles Jones and Dominika Stanley.[12] She was one of three children of the couple and had four halfsiblings.[12]

Death edit

According to press reports, police were on the scene by 12:40 a.m. on Sunday, May 16, 2010. In an attempt to distract the occupants, police fired a flash grenade through the front window of the lower apartment, where Aiyana Jones was sleeping.[12][17][18] Officer Weekley claimed that the flash grenade subsequently blinded his view of the person on the couch in the living room.[19]

Police officers, bystanders, and residents of the home disagreed about the events that followed. According to reports, seconds after entering the house, Weekley fired the fatal shot.[20] He pushed his way inside, protected by a ballistic shield. Weekley claimed Aiyana Jones' paternal grandmother, Mertilla Jones, attempted to slap his MP5 submachine gun, causing it to fire. The bullet struck Aiyana killing her. Weekley stated, "A woman inside grabbed my gun. It fired. The bullet hit a child."[21][22]

Mertilla Jones said she reached for her granddaughter when the grenade came through the window, not for the officer's gun, because the flash grenade had set the child on fire. She said she made no contact with any officers.[2]

After the shot was fired, Weekley reported to his sergeant that a woman inside had grabbed for his gun. Police arrested Mertilla, administered tests for drugs and gunpowder, and released her Sunday morning.[23] At Weekley's retrial in 2014, it was disclosed that Mertilla's fingerprints were not found on Weekley's gun.[24] Geoffrey Fieger, the family's lawyer, said the police fired the shot that struck Aiyana from outside the home, possibly through the open front door.[2]

Weekley was a member of Detroit's SWAT team and a frequent subject on the A&E Network (A&E), whose film crews were also filming the investigation for the documentary TV series The First 48.[25]

Chauncey Owens, the suspect who the raid was intended to apprehend and boyfriend of Aiyana's aunt LaKrystal Sanders,[26] was found in the upper-floor apartment of the duplex and surrendered without incident.[2]

Aftermath edit

After a one-year internal and federal investigation, on October 4, 2011, a grand jury indicted Weekley on involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment with a gun. He admitted in his first trial that, "It's my gun that shot and killed a 7-year-old girl."[27] His trial was scheduled for October[28] and finally took place in June 2013 but resulted in a deadlocked jury. A fresh trial was scheduled for December 2013,[29] but actually began in September 2014.[30]

Allison Howard, a videographer and photographer with A&E who was also present at the raid, was indicted on obstruction of justice and perjury for allegedly "lying to prosecutors about copying, showing or giving video footage that she shot of the raid to third parties causing a significant delay in the investigation of the case".[31] In June 2013, Howard pleaded "no contest" to the obstruction of justice charge, and the perjury charge was dismissed.[32][33] Allison Howard was sentenced to two years of probation in July 2013, and fined $2,000.[34][35]

Trial edit

Weekley's first trial ended in a mistrial in June 2013.[5] Wayne County Circuit Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway presided over the case.[36] Aiyana's case would be the longest presiding case that Hathaway had in more than 20 years of being on the bench.[37]

Retrial edit

Weekley's retrial started in September 2014.[38] He was charged with involuntary manslaughter and "negligent firing of a weapon causing death".[39][40]

On the second day of trial, September 24, LaKrystal Sanders, who lived on the upper floor of the house where Aiyana was killed, testified.[41] Sanders was Aiyana Jones's paternal aunt, the girlfriend of Chauncey Owens, and the daughter of Mertilla Jones.[42] While Sanders was on the stand, Judge Cynthia Hathaway told her that she (Sanders) was being "disrespectful."[42][43] Aiyana's mother Dominika Stanley, and paternal grandmother Mertilla testified, and both had "emotional outbursts." After the grandmother's outburst, the judge ordered the jury out of the room and the grandmother was escorted from the court room screaming.[41][44][45][46] Because of Mertilla Jones's outburst, the judge stopped the trial until September 29.[47]

On September 29, Weekley's lawyer asked the judge for a mistrial, citing Mertilla Jones's conduct on the stand the week before. The judge denied the motion for mistrial, saying she believed the jury could still be "impartial." However, the judge also said if Mertilla Jones and the other relatives continued to have outbursts on the stand, then she would declare a mistrial.[39]

On October 3, the judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charge against Weekley.[6][7][8] On October 10, the judge declared a mistrial due to jury deadlock.[48] On January 28, 2015, county prosecutor Kym Worthy dismissed the last remaining charge against Weekley, the misdemeanor of 'careless discharge of a firearm causing death'. Weekley will not go to a third trial.[11]

Jurors

The jury claimed that race did not affect the decision of their verdict. The jury stall resulted in seven voting "not guilty" and five voting "guilty".[49]

Funeral edit

Aiyana Jones' funeral was held in the Second Ebenezer Church on May 22, 2010, in Detroit. Reverend Al Sharpton gave the eulogy.[12] Charles Jones, Aiyana's father, wore a black suit, pink tie and pink handkerchief in remembrance of his daughter as pink was her favorite color.[50][better source needed] The casket was white and was afterwards driven to the grave by horse-drawn carriage.[51] She was buried on the grounds.[52]

Controversy edit

Lawsuits edit

A civil rights lawsuit questioned Weekley's account of the incident, claiming the grenade had gone through the window and struck Aiyana. The lawsuit asserts that police were outside of the home where they "blindly fired random shots," and one of the bullets fatally struck the 7-year-old child in the neck. The lawsuit charges Rowe[who?] and Weekley for the unlawful use of excessive force. Furthermore, the police department and unnamed supervisors of the Special Response Team in the city of Detroit were being sued for violating the civil rights of Aiyana Jones through their training and policy procedure. The family is seeking $7.5 million in damages and a jury trial conceded by the court filing.[53] Two days after Jones's death, on May 18, 2010, attorney Geoffrey Fieger filed lawsuits on behalf of her family against A&E and the police.[54][55]

Fieger video claim edit

Attorney Fieger claimed that footage, from an undisclosed source, showed that the lethal bullet came from outside the home, rather than inside, as police said.[56] A spokesman for city police demanded that Fieger share the tape's contents with Michigan State Police investigators. Fieger responded by saying he does not have the supposed video,[57] which he claims was made by the A&E Network reality show The First 48.[58] Michigan State Police Detective Tawana Powell testified during the 2014 trial that the investigation discovered that the video Fieger was talking about did not exist.[59]

Joseph Weekley Follow-Up

The Detroit Police Department had decided to withdraw Officer Weekley from active duty shortly after the shooting on May 16, 2010. On April 2, 2015, nearly five years following Jones's death, Officer Weekley was returned to active duty as a Detroit police officer in the Criminal Investigations Bureau (he had been on the Special Response Team). Police Chief James Craig stated, "He'll be in a limited duty capacity. He won't be in the field."[60]

Popular media edit

In September 2013, J. Cole published a music video dedicated to Jones for his song Crooked Smile, featuring TLC on YouTube.[61][62][63]

Rally edit

In May 2016, BlackMattersUS[64][unreliable source?] held a small rally in memory of Jones.[65][unreliable source?] Families of people killed by police officers and activists gathered at the feet of the Spirit of Detroit statue in front of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit.[66] On July 20, 2016, Detroit police arrested six unknown individuals for chaining themselves to a precinct of the Detroit Police Department, their protest honoring Jones. The Detroit chapter of the Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100) and Black Lives Matter Detroit organized the rally on what would have been her 14th birthday. Protestors pleaded for the termination of Officer Weekley as he had been selected to co-chair the Detroit Police Department's Committee on Race and Equality. Grandmother Mertilla Jones said, "Accountability needs to be expected from cases like this, because cops can't keep killing people and getting away with it."[67]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ . Mother Jones. Archived from the original on 2016-05-15. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
  2. ^ a b c d Schaefer, Jim (May 19, 2010). . Detroit Free Press. p. A1. Archived from the original on May 22, 2010. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  3. ^ Dolan, Matthew; Mike Ramsey (May 17, 2010). "State to Probe Police Killing of Girl in Detroit". The Wall Street Journal. Detroit. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  4. ^ Angel, Cecil; Todd Spangler; George Sipple (May 20, 2010). . Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Aiyana Stanley-Jones Update: Mistrial declared in manslaughter trial of Detroit cop in death of 7-yr.-old girl". cbsnews.com. 18 June 2013.
  6. ^ a b . myfoxdetroit.com. 3 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06.
  7. ^ a b Elisha Anderson; Detroit Free Press (3 October 2014). "Manslaughter charge dismissed in cop's shooting of girl". USA TODAY.
  8. ^ a b . www.washingtonpost.com. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Second mistrial declared in fatal shooting of Aiyana Stanley-Jones by Detroit police officer Joseph Weekley". cbsnews.com. 10 October 2014.
  10. ^ Los Angeles Times (10 October 2014). "Second mistrial in case of Detroit cop who accidentally killed child". Los Angeles Times.
  11. ^ a b "Charges Dismissed Against Joseph Weekley, Cop Who Fatally Shot Sleeping 7-Year-Old [UPDATE]". The Huffington Post. 28 January 2015.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l . Mother Jones. Archived from the original on 2016-05-15. Retrieved 2018-07-09.
  13. ^ . The Detroit News. Archived from the original on 2014-11-17.
  14. ^ "Where's the outrage? One year later, Aiyana Stanely Jones investigation mired in delays". MLive.com. 2011-05-17. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  15. ^ Swickard, Joe (2010-05-19). . Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  16. ^ Herrera, Halston (2014-03-14). "Man sentenced to life in prison for Detroit teen's death". WDIV. Click on Detroit. Retrieved 2020-06-10.
  17. ^ . WXYZ. May 19, 2010. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  18. ^ Warikoo, Niraj; Meyer, Zlati & Hunt, Amber (May 17, 2010). "Police, family look for answers in girl's death in Detroit". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  19. ^ Reporter, Kate Abbey-Lambertz National; Post, The Huffington (2014-09-17). "How A Police Officer Shot A Sleeping 7-Year-Old To Death". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
  20. ^ Hackman, Rose (31 January 2015). "'She was only a baby': last charge dropped in police raid that killed sleeping Detroit child". the Guardian.
  21. ^ Jorge Rivas (Oct 4, 2011). "Detroit Police Officer Charged in Shooting Death of Aiyana Stanley-Jones". Colorlines. Retrieved 2019-05-19.
  22. ^ Sara E. Teller (September 21, 2018). "Michigan Supreme Court Won't Hear Appeal in Weekley Case". Legal Reader. Retrieved 2019-05-19.
  23. ^ Gutherie, Doug; George Hunter (May 19, 2010). . The Detroit News. Southfield. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  24. ^ . WXYZ. Archived from the original on 2016-04-11. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  25. ^ Foley, Aaron (May 18, 2010). "Officer whose bullet reportedly killed Aiyana Jones was frequently featured on A&E". mlive.com. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  26. ^ Williams, Corey (May 20, 2010). "Mayor: Detroit doesn't know 'how to stop' killings". Associated Press. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  27. ^ "Detroit police officer who shot 7-year-old returns to job after half decade on leave". MLive.com. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
  28. ^ Williams, Corey (October 5, 2011). "Joseph Weekley, Detroit Police Officer, Charged In Aiyana Stanley-Jones' Death During 'The First 48' Raid". The Huffington Post. AOL Time Warner. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  29. ^ Woods, Ashle (September 19, 2013). "Cop Who Shot 7-Year-Old To Death Will Be Retried". Huffington Post.
  30. ^ Elisha Anderson, Detroit Free Press Staff Writer (15 September 2014). "Second trial to begin today for officer in Aiyana's death". Lansing State Journal.
  31. ^ "A&E 'The First 48' producer who filmed Aiyana Jones shooting admits to obstructing justice". MLive.com. Retrieved 2017-02-07.
  32. ^ . Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
  33. ^ . The Big Story. Archived from the original on 2014-10-06.
  34. ^ Eric D. Lawrence; Detroit Free Press (25 July 2013). "Videographer in fatal police raid gets probation". USA TODAY.
  35. ^ . Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
  36. ^ "Judge declares mistrial in Aiyana case after jurors fail to reach verdict". Detroit Free Press.
  37. ^ Hunter, George. "No more retrials, Aiyana's Family pleads". The Detroit News. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  38. ^ Elisha Anderson; Detroit Free Press (18 September 2014). "In cop's retrial, attorneys at odds over how girl died". USA TODAY.
  39. ^ a b "Emotional 'show' put on by grandmother of slain 7-year-old Aiyana Jones not grounds for mistrial, judge says". MLive.com. 29 September 2014.
  40. ^ "Detroit police officer back on trial accused of manslaughter in Aiyana Jones killing". MLive.com. 15 September 2014.
  41. ^ a b Elisha Anderson; Detroit Free Press (24 September 2014). "Mertilla Jones testified in Weekley case". Detroit Free Press.
  42. ^ a b George Hunter; The Detroit News (24 September 2014). "Weekley may seek retrial over tirade by witness". Detroit News.
  43. ^ George Hunter; The Detroit News (2 October 2014). "Weekley prosecution nears its conclusion". Detroit News.
  44. ^ . WXYZ. Archived from the original on 2014-09-27. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
  45. ^ "Grandmother to Detroit Police Officer Joseph Weekley: 'You killed my grandbaby'". MLive.com. 24 September 2014.
  46. ^ WDIV (24 September 2014). "Emotional outburst halts trial for Detroit officer in girl's death". ClickOnDetroit.
  47. ^ . myfoxdetroit.com. 24 September 2014. Archived from the original on 2014-09-26.
  48. ^ George Hunter; The Detroit News (10 October 2014). "Mistrial declared in Weekley's case". Detroit News.
  49. ^ "Judge cites 'justice' in dropping charge against cop". Detroit News. Retrieved 2017-03-16.
  50. ^ "Surviving The Painful Funeral Of Aiyana Jones". Global Grind. 2010-05-22. Retrieved 2017-03-07.
  51. ^ "Funeral for Aiyana Stanley-Jones". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  52. ^ . Essence. May 23, 2010. Archived from the original on July 26, 2010. Retrieved 8 June 2010. Aiyana Stanley Jones was laid to reston (sic) Saturday at Second Ebenezer Church in Detroit, Michigan.
  53. ^ Abbey-Lambertz, Kate (April 2, 2015). "Lawsuit Alleges Police Cover-Up In Fatal Shooting Of Sleeping 7-Year-Old Aiyana Stanley-Jones". HuffPost.
  54. ^ Williams, Corey; Ed White (May 18, 2010). "Attorney files 2 lawsuits in death of Detroit girl". Associated Press.
  55. ^ "Family of slain 7-year-old Aiyana Jones sues A&E for reality TV crew at Detroit police raid". MLive.com. 14 December 2010.
  56. ^ Hunter, George; Doug Guthrie; Francis X. Donnelly (May 18, 2010). . The Detroit News. Detroit. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  57. ^ Schaerfer, Jim (May 18, 2010). . Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
  58. ^ Corey Williams and Ed White (May 17, 2010). "Aiyana Jones case, attorney says Video shows police fired into Detroit home". Associated Press.
  59. ^ . YouTube. 2 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-05-25.
  60. ^ "Cop in Aiyana Stanley-Jones shooting back on the job". Detroit News. Retrieved 2017-03-16.
  61. ^ Video on YouTube
  62. ^ Korina Lopez, USA TODAY (19 September 2013). "J. Cole dedicates video to dead 7-year-old girl". USA TODAY.
  63. ^ "J. Cole Dedicates 'Crooked Smile' Video To Slain 7-Year-Old Girl". MTV News.
  64. ^ . blackmatterus.com. Archived from the original on 2016-05-29. Retrieved 2016-05-24.
  65. ^ . blackmatterus.com. Archived from the original on 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2016-05-24.
  66. ^ Ramirez, Charles E. (2016-05-21). "Rally marks 2010 death of Aiyana in police raid". Detroitnews.com. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
  67. ^ Gross, Allie (2017-03-09). "Six arrested during rally honoring Aiyana Stanley-Jones". Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved 2020-06-06.

External links edit

  • Joe "Brain" Weekley's webpage at A&E: Meet the SWAT Teams
  • Joe Weekley at IMDb
  • Allison Howard at IMDb

January 01, 1970
killing, aiyana, jones, aiyana, stanley, jones, july, 2002, 2010, seven, year, girl, from, detroit, east, side, shot, neck, killed, police, officer, joseph, weekley, during, raid, conducted, detroit, police, department, special, response, team, team, targeting. Aiyana Mo Nay Stanley Jones July 20 2002 May 16 2010 was a seven year old 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 The Team was targeting a suspect in the apartment a floor above Jones on May 16 2010 2 Her death drew national media attention 3 and led U S Representative John Conyers to ask U S Attorney General Eric Holder for a federal investigation into the incident 4 Aiyana JonesAiyana JonesBornAiyana MoNay Stanley Jones 2002 07 20 July 20 2002Detroit Michigan U S DiedMay 16 2010 2010 05 16 aged 7 Detroit Michigan U S Cause of deathGunshot wound to the neckResting placeTrinity Cemetery 1 5210 Mount Elliott Street Detroit Michigan 48211Other namesAiyana Stanley JonesOccupationStudentKnown forShot in police raidParent s Charles Jones father Dominika Stanley mother RelativesMertilla Jones grandmother Officer Joseph Weekley was charged in connection with Jones killing In October 2011 he was charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment with a gun Weekley s first trial ended in a mistrial in June 2013 5 His retrial began in September 2014 On October 3 the judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charge against Weekley leaving him on trial for only one charge recklessly discharging a firearm 6 7 8 On October 10 the second trial ended in another mistrial 9 10 On January 28 2015 a prosecutor dropped the last remaining charge against Weekley ensuring there would not be a third trial 11 Contents 1 Background 1 1 People involved 2 Death 3 Aftermath 3 1 Trial 3 2 Retrial 4 Funeral 5 Controversy 5 1 Lawsuits 5 1 1 Fieger video claim 5 2 Popular media 6 Rally 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksBackground editOn May 14 2010 Southeastern High School senior Je Rean Blake 12 13 14 was shot and killed near the intersection of Mack and Beniteau streets on Detroit s east side By the end of the following day police had identified Chauncey Owens as a suspect in Blake s death and obtained a warrant to search 4054 Lillibridge 12 St where Owens was believed to be hiding 15 The building was a duplex Owens s girlfriend LaKrysta Sanders lived in the upstairs apartment while her mother and Aiyana Jones grandmother Mertilla Jones lived in the downstairs apartment 12 At the time of the incident Aiyana Jones was asleep on the couch in the front room of the downstairs apartment 12 Owens was in the upstairs apartment 12 An A amp E reality TV television crew was accompanying the police Special Response Team gathering footage for The First 48 12 Weekley had been featured on another A amp E police reality show Detroit SWAT 12 Two weeks prior to the incident a Detroit police officer had been killed in the line of duty while attempting to arrest a suspect 12 Owens was later found guilty of Blake s murder 16 People involved edit Aiyana Jones was the daughter of Charles Jones and Dominika Stanley 12 She was one of three children of the couple and had four halfsiblings 12 Death editAccording to press reports police were on the scene by 12 40 a m on Sunday May 16 2010 In an attempt to distract the occupants police fired a flash grenade through the front window of the lower apartment where Aiyana Jones was sleeping 12 17 18 Officer Weekley claimed that the flash grenade subsequently blinded his view of the person on the couch in the living room 19 Police officers bystanders and residents of the home disagreed about the events that followed According to reports seconds after entering the house Weekley fired the fatal shot 20 He pushed his way inside protected by a ballistic shield Weekley claimed Aiyana Jones paternal grandmother Mertilla Jones attempted to slap his MP5 submachine gun causing it to fire The bullet struck Aiyana killing her Weekley stated A woman inside grabbed my gun It fired The bullet hit a child 21 22 Mertilla Jones said she reached for her granddaughter when the grenade came through the window not for the officer s gun because the flash grenade had set the child on fire She said she made no contact with any officers 2 After the shot was fired Weekley reported to his sergeant that a woman inside had grabbed for his gun Police arrested Mertilla administered tests for drugs and gunpowder and released her Sunday morning 23 At Weekley s retrial in 2014 it was disclosed that Mertilla s fingerprints were not found on Weekley s gun 24 Geoffrey Fieger the family s lawyer said the police fired the shot that struck Aiyana from outside the home possibly through the open front door 2 Weekley was a member of Detroit s SWAT team and a frequent subject on the A amp E Network A amp E whose film crews were also filming the investigation for the documentary TV series The First 48 25 Chauncey Owens the suspect who the raid was intended to apprehend and boyfriend of Aiyana s aunt LaKrystal Sanders 26 was found in the upper floor apartment of the duplex and surrendered without incident 2 Aftermath editAfter a one year internal and federal investigation on October 4 2011 a grand jury indicted Weekley on involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment with a gun He admitted in his first trial that It s my gun that shot and killed a 7 year old girl 27 His trial was scheduled for October 28 and finally took place in June 2013 but resulted in a deadlocked jury A fresh trial was scheduled for December 2013 29 but actually began in September 2014 30 Allison Howard a videographer and photographer with A amp E who was also present at the raid was indicted on obstruction of justice and perjury for allegedly lying to prosecutors about copying showing or giving video footage that she shot of the raid to third parties causing a significant delay in the investigation of the case 31 In June 2013 Howard pleaded no contest to the obstruction of justice charge and the perjury charge was dismissed 32 33 Allison Howard was sentenced to two years of probation in July 2013 and fined 2 000 34 35 Trial edit Weekley s first trial ended in a mistrial in June 2013 5 Wayne County Circuit Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway presided over the case 36 Aiyana s case would be the longest presiding case that Hathaway had in more than 20 years of being on the bench 37 Retrial edit Weekley s retrial started in September 2014 38 He was charged with involuntary manslaughter and negligent firing of a weapon causing death 39 40 On the second day of trial September 24 LaKrystal Sanders who lived on the upper floor of the house where Aiyana was killed testified 41 Sanders was Aiyana Jones s paternal aunt the girlfriend of Chauncey Owens and the daughter of Mertilla Jones 42 While Sanders was on the stand Judge Cynthia Hathaway told her that she Sanders was being disrespectful 42 43 Aiyana s mother Dominika Stanley and paternal grandmother Mertilla testified and both had emotional outbursts After the grandmother s outburst the judge ordered the jury out of the room and the grandmother was escorted from the court room screaming 41 44 45 46 Because of Mertilla Jones s outburst the judge stopped the trial until September 29 47 On September 29 Weekley s lawyer asked the judge for a mistrial citing Mertilla Jones s conduct on the stand the week before The judge denied the motion for mistrial saying she believed the jury could still be impartial However the judge also said if Mertilla Jones and the other relatives continued to have outbursts on the stand then she would declare a mistrial 39 On October 3 the judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charge against Weekley 6 7 8 On October 10 the judge declared a mistrial due to jury deadlock 48 On January 28 2015 county prosecutor Kym Worthy dismissed the last remaining charge against Weekley the misdemeanor of careless discharge of a firearm causing death Weekley will not go to a third trial 11 JurorsThe jury claimed that race did not affect the decision of their verdict The jury stall resulted in seven voting not guilty and five voting guilty 49 Funeral editAiyana Jones funeral was held in the Second Ebenezer Church on May 22 2010 in Detroit Reverend Al Sharpton gave the eulogy 12 Charles Jones Aiyana s father wore a black suit pink tie and pink handkerchief in remembrance of his daughter as pink was her favorite color 50 better source needed The casket was white and was afterwards driven to the grave by horse drawn carriage 51 She was buried on the grounds 52 Controversy editLawsuits edit A civil rights lawsuit questioned Weekley s account of the incident claiming the grenade had gone through the window and struck Aiyana The lawsuit asserts that police were outside of the home where they blindly fired random shots and one of the bullets fatally struck the 7 year old child in the neck The lawsuit charges Rowe who and Weekley for the unlawful use of excessive force Furthermore the police department and unnamed supervisors of the Special Response Team in the city of Detroit were being sued for violating the civil rights of Aiyana Jones through their training and policy procedure The family is seeking 7 5 million in damages and a jury trial conceded by the court filing 53 Two days after Jones s death on May 18 2010 attorney Geoffrey Fieger filed lawsuits on behalf of her family against A amp E and the police 54 55 Fieger video claim edit Attorney Fieger claimed that footage from an undisclosed source showed that the lethal bullet came from outside the home rather than inside as police said 56 A spokesman for city police demanded that Fieger share the tape s contents with Michigan State Police investigators Fieger responded by saying he does not have the supposed video 57 which he claims was made by the A amp E Network reality show The First 48 58 Michigan State Police Detective Tawana Powell testified during the 2014 trial that the investigation discovered that the video Fieger was talking about did not exist 59 Joseph Weekley Follow UpThe Detroit Police Department had decided to withdraw Officer Weekley from active duty shortly after the shooting on May 16 2010 On April 2 2015 nearly five years following Jones s death Officer Weekley was returned to active duty as a Detroit police officer in the Criminal Investigations Bureau he had been on the Special Response Team Police Chief James Craig stated He ll be in a limited duty capacity He won t be in the field 60 Popular media edit In September 2013 J Cole published a music video dedicated to Jones for his song Crooked Smile featuring TLC on YouTube 61 62 63 Rally editIn May 2016 BlackMattersUS 64 unreliable source held a small rally in memory of Jones 65 unreliable source Families of people killed by police officers and activists gathered at the feet of the Spirit of Detroit statue in front of the Coleman A Young Municipal Center in Detroit 66 On July 20 2016 Detroit police arrested six unknown individuals for chaining themselves to a precinct of the Detroit Police Department their protest honoring Jones The Detroit chapter of the Black Youth Project 100 BYP100 and Black Lives Matter Detroit organized the rally on what would have been her 14th birthday Protestors pleaded for the termination of Officer Weekley as he had been selected to co chair the Detroit Police Department s Committee on Race and Equality Grandmother Mertilla Jones said Accountability needs to be expected from cases like this because cops can t keep killing people and getting away with it 67 See also editList of unarmed African Americans killed by law enforcement officers in the United States List of homicides in Michigan Lists of killings by law enforcement officers in the United StatesReferences edit What Killed Aiyana Stanley Jones Mother Jones Archived from the original on 2016 05 15 Retrieved 2018 07 09 a b c d Schaefer Jim May 19 2010 Detroit police outline final moments of Aiyana s life Detroit Free Press p A1 Archived from the original on May 22 2010 Retrieved 8 June 2010 Dolan Matthew Mike Ramsey May 17 2010 State to Probe Police Killing of Girl in Detroit The Wall Street Journal Detroit Retrieved 8 June 2010 Angel Cecil Todd Spangler George Sipple May 20 2010 Conyers seeks federal probe of Aiyana s death Detroit Free Press Archived from the original on 24 September 2015 Retrieved 8 June 2010 a b Aiyana Stanley Jones Update Mistrial declared in manslaughter trial of Detroit cop in death of 7 yr old girl cbsnews com 18 June 2013 a b Judge dismisses involuntary manslaughter charge against Detroit myfoxdetroit com 3 October 2014 Archived from the original on 2014 10 06 a b Elisha Anderson Detroit Free Press 3 October 2014 Manslaughter charge dismissed in cop s shooting of girl USA TODAY a b Charge dismissed in Detroit police shooting the Washington Post www washingtonpost com Archived from the original on 6 October 2014 Retrieved 17 January 2022 Second mistrial declared in fatal shooting of Aiyana Stanley Jones by Detroit police officer Joseph Weekley cbsnews com 10 October 2014 Los Angeles Times 10 October 2014 Second mistrial in case of Detroit cop who accidentally killed child Los Angeles Times a b Charges Dismissed Against Joseph Weekley Cop Who Fatally Shot Sleeping 7 Year Old UPDATE The Huffington Post 28 January 2015 a b c d e f g h i j k l What Killed Aiyana Stanley Jones Mother Jones Archived from the original on 2016 05 15 Retrieved 2018 07 09 Detroit children dying in culture of violence The Detroit News Archived from the original on 2014 11 17 Where s the outrage One year later Aiyana Stanely Jones investigation mired in delays MLive com 2011 05 17 Retrieved 2020 06 10 Swickard Joe 2010 05 19 Homicide suspect hunted in raid that led to Aiyana s death is charged Detroit Free Press Archived from the original on 2015 09 24 Retrieved 2010 06 08 Herrera Halston 2014 03 14 Man sentenced to life in prison for Detroit teen s death WDIV Click on Detroit Retrieved 2020 06 10 DPD officer involved in Aiyana Jones shooting identified WXYZ May 19 2010 Archived from the original on September 27 2013 Retrieved June 10 2013 Warikoo Niraj Meyer Zlati amp Hunt Amber May 17 2010 Police family look for answers in girl s death in Detroit Detroit Free Press Retrieved June 10 2013 Reporter Kate Abbey Lambertz National Post The Huffington 2014 09 17 How A Police Officer Shot A Sleeping 7 Year Old To Death The Huffington Post Retrieved 2017 02 07 Hackman Rose 31 January 2015 She was only a baby last charge dropped in police raid that killed sleeping Detroit child the Guardian Jorge Rivas Oct 4 2011 Detroit Police Officer Charged in Shooting Death of Aiyana Stanley Jones Colorlines Retrieved 2019 05 19 Sara E Teller September 21 2018 Michigan Supreme Court Won t Hear Appeal in Weekley Case Legal Reader Retrieved 2019 05 19 Gutherie Doug George Hunter May 19 2010 Slain girl s family alleges police cover up The Detroit News Southfield Archived from the original on 12 October 2013 Retrieved 8 June 2010 Grandmother s fingerprints DNA not found on Officer Weekley s submachine gun WXYZ Archived from the original on 2016 04 11 Retrieved 2016 09 26 Foley Aaron May 18 2010 Officer whose bullet reportedly killed Aiyana Jones was frequently featured on A amp E mlive com Retrieved 5 April 2011 Williams Corey May 20 2010 Mayor Detroit doesn t know how to stop killings Associated Press Retrieved 8 June 2010 Detroit police officer who shot 7 year old returns to job after half decade on leave MLive com Retrieved 2017 02 07 Williams Corey October 5 2011 Joseph Weekley Detroit Police Officer Charged In Aiyana Stanley Jones Death During The First 48 Raid The Huffington Post AOL Time Warner Retrieved June 17 2012 Woods Ashle September 19 2013 Cop Who Shot 7 Year Old To Death Will Be Retried Huffington Post Elisha Anderson Detroit Free Press Staff Writer 15 September 2014 Second trial to begin today for officer in Aiyana s death Lansing State Journal A amp E The First 48 producer who filmed Aiyana Jones shooting admits to obstructing justice MLive com Retrieved 2017 02 07 Photographer pleads no contest to obstruction of justice in Aiyana Stanley Jones case Detroit Free Press Archived from the original on 2015 09 24 Retrieved 2014 09 25 Videographer pleads in fatal Detroit police raid The Big Story Archived from the original on 2014 10 06 Eric D Lawrence Detroit Free Press 25 July 2013 Videographer in fatal police raid gets probation USA TODAY Videographer in Aiyana Stanley Jones raid gets 2 years of probation Detroit Free Press Archived from the original on 2015 09 24 Retrieved 2014 09 25 Judge declares mistrial in Aiyana case after jurors fail to reach verdict Detroit Free Press Hunter George No more retrials Aiyana s Family pleads The Detroit News Retrieved 8 November 2021 Elisha Anderson Detroit Free Press 18 September 2014 In cop s retrial attorneys at odds over how girl died USA TODAY a b Emotional show put on by grandmother of slain 7 year old Aiyana Jones not grounds for mistrial judge says MLive com 29 September 2014 Detroit police officer back on trial accused of manslaughter in Aiyana Jones killing MLive com 15 September 2014 a b Elisha Anderson Detroit Free Press 24 September 2014 Mertilla Jones testified in Weekley case Detroit Free Press a b George Hunter The Detroit News 24 September 2014 Weekley may seek retrial over tirade by witness Detroit News George Hunter The Detroit News 2 October 2014 Weekley prosecution nears its conclusion Detroit News RAW VIDEO Emotional outburst from grandmother of Aiyana Stanley Jones halts Joseph Weekley retrial WXYZ Archived from the original on 2014 09 27 Retrieved 2014 09 25 Grandmother to Detroit Police Officer Joseph Weekley You killed my grandbaby MLive com 24 September 2014 WDIV 24 September 2014 Emotional outburst halts trial for Detroit officer in girl s death ClickOnDetroit Officer Weekley trial halted until Monday after emotions run high Fox 2 News Headlines myfoxdetroit com 24 September 2014 Archived from the original on 2014 09 26 George Hunter The Detroit News 10 October 2014 Mistrial declared in Weekley s case Detroit News Judge cites justice in dropping charge against cop Detroit News Retrieved 2017 03 16 Surviving The Painful Funeral Of Aiyana Jones Global Grind 2010 05 22 Retrieved 2017 03 07 Funeral for Aiyana Stanley Jones Detroit Free Press Retrieved 8 June 2010 UPDATE Aiyana Jones Funeral Essence May 23 2010 Archived from the original on July 26 2010 Retrieved 8 June 2010 Aiyana Stanley Jones was laid to reston sic Saturday at Second Ebenezer Church in Detroit Michigan Abbey Lambertz Kate April 2 2015 Lawsuit Alleges Police Cover Up In Fatal Shooting Of Sleeping 7 Year Old Aiyana Stanley Jones HuffPost Williams Corey Ed White May 18 2010 Attorney files 2 lawsuits in death of Detroit girl Associated Press Family of slain 7 year old Aiyana Jones sues A amp E for reality TV crew at Detroit police raid MLive com 14 December 2010 Hunter George Doug Guthrie Francis X Donnelly May 18 2010 State to probe girl s slaying lawyer disputes cops account The Detroit News Detroit Archived from the original on 29 October 2013 Retrieved 8 June 2010 Schaerfer Jim May 18 2010 Fieger says police shooting no accident he has proof Detroit Free Press Archived from the original on 3 April 2015 Retrieved 8 June 2010 Corey Williams and Ed White May 17 2010 Aiyana Jones case attorney says Video shows police fired into Detroit home Associated Press JOSEPH WEEKLEY RETRIAL DAY 8 YouTube 2 October 2014 Archived from the original on 2015 05 25 Cop in Aiyana Stanley Jones shooting back on the job Detroit News Retrieved 2017 03 16 Video on YouTube Korina Lopez USA TODAY 19 September 2013 J Cole dedicates video to dead 7 year old girl USA TODAY J Cole Dedicates Crooked Smile Video To Slain 7 Year Old Girl MTV News Black Matters BlackMattersUS com blackmatterus com Archived from the original on 2016 05 29 Retrieved 2016 05 24 The 6th Anniversary of the Aiyana Jones Death blackmatterus com Archived from the original on 2016 07 01 Retrieved 2016 05 24 Ramirez Charles E 2016 05 21 Rally marks 2010 death of Aiyana in police raid Detroitnews com Retrieved 2016 07 22 Gross Allie 2017 03 09 Six arrested during rally honoring Aiyana Stanley Jones Detroit Metro Times Retrieved 2020 06 06 External links editJoe Brain Weekley s webpage at A amp E Meet the SWAT Teams Joe Weekley at IMDb Allison Howard at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Killing of Aiyana Jones amp oldid 1219451944, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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