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 Joseph Weekley was first through the door and after a flash-bang grenade went off, he fired his gun, killing Aiyana. A pretrial conference to schedule a new set of hearings and a near jury selection is set for 9am July 25. 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. 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. Assistant Police Chief Ralph Godbee said Weekley was investigated after he was involved in a barricaded gunman shooting last summer. The only full justice would be to bring Aiyana back and I can't do that.". 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. 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 . Jurors later told the judge they couldnt reach a verdict. "The whole reason there was even a chase was for his well-being," he said. Then I heard verbal commands after they were through firing," Few said. Associated Press Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The jurors, asked that their names not be made public as they explained what happened over four days of deliberations. Shooting: Detroit Police Officer Joseph Weekley testifies during his first trial in Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit, Michigan, his second trial was declared a mistrial on Friday Judge. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Police threw a stun grenade through a window, and Weekley was the first officer through the door. Last year the city settled with Aiyana's family for $8.25 million. The girl's father, Charles Jones, was convicted of second-degree murder for providing the gun used to kill Blake. Judge Dismisses Manslaughter Charge For Cop Who Shot 7-Year-Old To Death. This Monday, jury selection began for Weekley's retrial. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The trial for Weekley, a white officer, in the death of a black child has caused some to draw parallels to the case of Michael Brown, the unarmed teen fatally shot by Police Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, in August. Kelley joined the station on February 10, 1986, two months after graduating from the University of Florida. She denies that she interfered in any way. Sleeping 7-year-old girl shot in head during no-knock police raid on wrong home 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. Report your Judge, Lawyer or Government Office, Report your Judge, Attorney & Public Official Today. Unfortunately, a beautiful little girl, Aiyana Stanley-Jones, 7, lost her life because of his reckless and violent actions. Spokeswoman Maria Miller said the prosecutors office still believes it has a strong case, which is why it decided to put Weekley on trial again. 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. Officer Weekley faced his first trial in June 2013. All too often we see police officers murder the innocent only to be exonerated by a grand jury or acquitted during a trial. Officers had been. All rights reserved. According to the Advocate,Megan Dixon, Fews fiance at the time, said Few had a previous run-in with Greenhouse. Weekley shot and killed Aiyana Stanley-Jones on the night of May 16, 2010, as officers executed a search warrant on the duplex her family lived in. Weekley has been listed in various paid, off-duty statuses since the shooting early May 16, 2010. A Special Response Team shattered a familys window in the middle of the night, hurled a flashbang onto a couch next to a sleeping girl, then charged in and shot her in the head. He says he accidentally fired his gun during. Charges officially dismissed against officer Joseph Weekley WXYZ 7 Action News is metro Detroit's leading source for breaking news, weather warnings, award-w. The kids are having a great time and we're just really happy for the children," Weekley said on the videotape. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). In February, Owens was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. The girl was shot in the head while she slept on a couch. 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. prosecution will file an emergency appeal, shot Stanley-Jones in 2010 during a botched police raid in search of a murder suspect. The family's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, said the settlement should allow the family, the city and Weekley to move on from the tragedy. Daily Mail Reporter 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 He was accused of being 'grossly negligent' in how he handled his submachine gun as his black-clad, masked and armed unit stormed the Detroit home to capture a suspect in May 2010. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. He also helped organize a recent event called Run With the Cops, Not From Them. finds relevant news, identifies important training information, Aiyana Stanley-Jones was sleeping in her home on the east side of Detroit on the night of May 16, 2010, when officers barged into the house. When Weekley regained sight, he realized there was a person on the couch instead of what he'd originally thought was a pile of clothes. He has been a member of the SWAT team for six years, and on the Detroit police force for 14 years. Prosecutor Rob Moran argued: 'His training says, keep your finger off the trigger. 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 . Weekley, a member of an elite police squad, was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Aiyana, who was shot in the head in May 2010 while sleeping on her grandmother's couch. found guilty of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter. But race, the jurors said, never played a role in deliberations, despite the fact that Weekley is white, and Aiyana was black. All too often we see police officers murder the innocent only to be exonerated by a grand jury or acquitted during a trial. 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 the mistrial, Dominika Stanley, Aiyana's mother stayed in the courtroom, wiping away tears as she shook her head and held onto a tissue. Weekley was first through the door, with a shield in one hand and a gun in the other. 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. Weekley was first through the door, and saw what he thought was an empty room with a man standing in the far doorway, he testified last year. by a Detroit police officer, Joseph Weekley. 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. Available for both RF and RM licensing. During the heartbreaking trial, Chris Few, Jeremy's dad, noted that Stafford and officer Norris Greenhouse Jr. immediately started firing with no warning when they stopped him on that fateful night. 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. , updated The Registered Agent on file for this company is Joseph Weekley and is located at 141 Duesenberg Drive Ste 7b, Westlake Village, CA 91362. He went in there to protect the citizens of Detroit from a man wanted for murder, Diaz said. Police neglected to account for or flatly disregarded the safety of any potential children that might be present. If convicted, Weekley could face up to 15 years behind bars. The hunt for a murder suspect was being recorded by a crew from 'The First 48,' a police show on A&E Networks. 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. It was about 9:30 AM. Anthony Potts recalled the night 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones was killed during a police raid. Jones told a different story at Weekley's trial last year. We do not give legal advice. In 2013, at Weekley's first trial, his lawyer pointed to Jones' inconsistent accounts of the shooting and otherwise attacked her credibility, according to MLive. They came to kill, and they killed a 7-year-old.'. ', 'I don't think it's fair because he's a police officer that he gets to get away with this again. This website does not provide legal advice. All rights reserved. (John T. Greilick/Detroit News via AP, File) You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Rep. John Conyers has also asked the U.S. Department of Justice to launch an investigation into the girl's shooting death. Download the Yahoo News app. Wayne County Judge Cynthia Hathaway said Weekley's trial will start Monday, Sept. 15, 2014 as planned. 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. 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. Similar feelings were shared when police officer Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted by a grand jury after he shot and killed Philando Castile, . The family's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, said the settlement should allow the family, the city and Weekley to . 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. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced. The. 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. But the shot killed Aiyana. Check out footage (below) of the judge's ruling Friday: CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated that attorney Steve Fishman said the defense would need to demonstrate Officer Joseph Weekley acted in a "grossly negligent manner" in the circumstances leading to Stanley-Jones' death. "Aiyana's death was a tragic loss for her family and has been a heavy burden on our community. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office alleged that Weekley's negligence led to Aiyana's death. Joseph Weekley testifying at first trial in June, 2013. 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. Local 4 News every morning. Weekley says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. Detroit Officer Joseph Weekley is charged with involuntary manslaughter. 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. 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. When Weekley returned to the family room, he watched Jones straddling her dying granddaughter, speechless and seemingly "in shock." What exactly caused him to fire is still a matter of dispute. He has been free on personal bond since his arraignment in 2011. Jones maintains his innocence. 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. "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. I don't understand how we could go through this again and have all this evidence brought forth and there not be a verdict, either way.. the 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. 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. The girl's father, Charles Jones, was convicted of second-degree murder for providing the gun used to kill Blake. 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. Dominika Stanley, left, the mother of 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones, sits next to Aiyana's father Charles Jones in attorney Geoffrey Fieger's office in Southfield, Michigan, Tuesday, May 18, 2010. AP Photo by Carlos Osorio. To read the full Conyers story, click here. Weekley, a member of an elite police unit, was the first officer through the door during a chaotic search for a murder suspect at her home. Charges Dismissed Against Joseph Weekley, Cop Who Fatally Shot Sleeping 7-Year-Old. During the trial, Steve Fishman, Weekley's attorney, told jurors that the officer mistakenly pulled the trigger during a struggle with Mertilla Jones, the girl's grandmother. We do not practice law. Weekley's colleagues gave him the nickname "The Brain," according to The Detroit News, because he was always thinking. 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. Mertilla Jones testified that Owens lived in the upper unit with her daughter, LaKrystal Sanders. Weekley shot Stanley-Jones in 2010 during a botched police raid in search of a murder suspect. 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. Detroit Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia announced the settlement with the family of Aiyana Stanley-Jones four days before a civil trial was to begin. All rights reserved. As the Associated Press reports,Ruth Wisher, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Jeff Landry's office, said Stafford was sentenced to 40 years for manslaughter and 15 years for attempted manslaughter. A Detroit police officer accused of manslaughter in the death of a 7-year-old girl will go on trial this week, as national attention remains focused on the militarization of U.S. law enforcement and police violence perpetrated against people of color. Officer Joseph Weekley was charged in connection with Jones' death. Detroit police officer who killed sleeping seven-year-old no longer facing charges. After two mistrials, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office dismissed the remaining misdemeanor charge of careless discharge of a weapon causing death. During Weekleys first trial, a fellow officer, Shawn Stallard, testified that he did not see anyone struggle with Weekley. Weekley was first tried in Stanley-Jones' death last year; a hung jury caused a mistrial. Besides the glaring presence of toys strewn about the lawn and front porch, it is unlikely that investigators could have missed the presence of four young children and multi-generational family in the opposite unit during their surveillance of the duplex. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Officer on trial: Joseph Weekley testifies in his own defense Belinda Robinson for MailOnline. Weekley says the MP5 only weighs six pounds and has almost no recoil, which is why he didn't initially know it had fired. A flash-bang grenade shattered the front bay window and exploded seconds before the Weekley-led Special Response Team barged though the front door. "We're really happy to help out any way we can. Weekley's submachine gun fired seconds after a stun. Search query The shield seemed unnecessary, Weekley testified. Mark Diaz, union president of the Detroit Police Officers Association, said he was disappointed by the decision. 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