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. Weekley says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. Anthony Potts recalled the night 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones was killed during a police raid. Part of HuffPost Black Voices. It should be of no surprise then, when we learn of SWAT raids not just for low-level drug crimes, but also for zoning violations or underage drinking, or that there are now police departments in America that serve every felony search warrant with a SWAT team, regardless of the crime. Download the Yahoo News app. 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. But Aiyana's great-uncle Fields added that he thought Weekley should apologize and say he made a mistake. Two days before the raid 17-year-old Je'rean Blake was standing outside a neighborhood convenience store when he was shot to death following a dispute. JOSEPH WEEKLEY, INC. JOSEPH WEEKLEY, INC. is a California Stock Corporation - Ca - General filed on August 12, 2003. Jones maintains his innocence. The little girl, 7 years old, died instantly. 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. The Registered Agent on file for this company is Joseph Weekley and is located at 141 Duesenberg Drive Ste 7b, Westlake Village, CA 91362. Detroit Officer Joseph Weekley is charged with involuntary manslaughter. A stun grenade was thrown through a window to confuse anyone inside. "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. The kids are having a great time and we're just really happy for the children," Weekley said on the videotape. The family's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, said the settlement should allow the family, the city and Weekley to move on from the tragedy. "I seen the light leave out of her eyes.". This was an emotional case, the jury foreman told the media afterward. Detroit Police Media Relations Director June West said Weekley returned to active duty on a "restricted" basis "a couple weeks ago.". His lawyer later described it as a tragic accident. Owens pleaded guilty in April 2011 to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 28 years in prison for Blake's slaying. , updated Available for both RF and RM licensing. Select the option or tab named Internet Options (Internet Explorer), Options (Firefox), Preferences (Safari) or Settings (Chrome). 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. Mertilla Jones testified that Owens lived in the upper unit with her daughter, LaKrystal Sanders. By Mark Diaz, union president of the Detroit Police Officers Association, said he was disappointed by the decision. Prosecutor Rob Moran argued: 'His training says, keep your finger off the trigger. 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. The jury could have convicted Weekley of involuntary manslaughter, a felony, or reckless discharge of a firearm, a misdemeanor. "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. 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. The settlement still needs approval from the Detroit City Council. 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. It was about 9:30 AM. Weiss is seeking a new trial for Jones, who is currently serving a prison sentence of 40 to 60 years. All rights reserved. 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. Brown's death, and the extreme tactics of police amid ensuing local protests, have sparked national conversations about police brutality and institutional racism in police forces across the country. But the shot killed Aiyana. Prosecutors say that Owens then left the store. At the time, Weekley said, he didn't even realize he had fired his gun, thinking the shot had been fired by someone else. 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 . 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. Godbee said Weekley is involved in several charitable events for the DPD, including one that raises money for children of domestic violence victims. Then I heard verbal commands after they were through firing," Few said. The judge dismissed the charge after defense attorney Steve Fishman said prosecutors didn't show that Weekley acted willfully. testified that he put his gun to her granddaughter's head and pulled the trigger, escorted from the courtroom after an emotional outburst directed at Weekley during her testimony, misdemeanor that might not carry a jail sentence if he is convicted. We believe today's settlement is fair because it balances the needs of Aiyana's family and our responsibility for the city's finances. Aiyana's parents, Charles Jones and Dominika Stanley, sued Detroit police officer Joseph Weekley on behalf of their daughter's estate. 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. This button displays the currently selected search type. Officer on trial: Joseph Weekley testifies in his own defense He said Detroit police are trained to push away anyone who tries to grab an officers gun or to move the weapon in a J shape to keep control of it. "I stuck my hands out the window. He says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. If convicted, Weekley could face up to 15 years behind bars. Yetthe group of 12 was almost split down the middle over whether to acquit or convict Weekley on a misdemeanor charge of careless, reckless or negligent use of a firearm causing death. This website expresses our OPINIONS. Photo by Thomas Alex Graves. Here's the video A&E's cameras captured at the Stanley-Jones residence: The episode that would have featured footage from that night ultimately never aired. 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. He also helped organize a recent event called Run With the Cops, Not From Them. He says he accidentally fired his gun during a struggle with Aiyana's grandmother. This button displays the currently selected search type. Officers had been. He said Tuesday plans to protest the return of Weekley are in the works but not finalized. Last week, she was escorted from the courtroom after an emotional outburst directed at Weekley during her testimony. The raid was being filmed for an episode of The First 48, and many believe the excessive tactics used were employed simply to create drama and excitement for the camera. Who Is DPD Officer Joseph Weekley? Before the night of Aiyana's death, the News reports, Weekley had made multiple appearances on "The First 48.". Belinda Robinson for MailOnline. She pleaded no contest to the obstruction of justice charge, and the perjury charge was dropped. 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. Jurors later told the judge they couldnt reach a verdict. ID 321.) Since the shooting, Weekley has been placed on a desk job. Weekley drives the SWAT team's armored personnel carrier. Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway declared a mistrial in the case for the second time after the first trial ended in a hung jury in June 2013. A man rides a bicycle past the house where Aiyana Stanley-Jones was killed in Detroit, Monday, May 17, 2010. Aiyana Mo'Nay Stanley-Jones (July 20, 2002 - May 16, 2010) was a seven-year-old African-American 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 targeting a suspect in the apartment a . The only full justice would be to bring Aiyana back and I can't do that.". , updated 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. 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. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. "I'm out here to fight any way for the other Aiyanas that's to come," she said, "because it ain't stop at just my grandbaby.". DPD Spokesman John Roach said the Detroit Police Department SWAT team member is 34-year-old officer Joseph Weekley. The afternoon of May 14, Je'Rean had just bought an orange juice at a liquor store when he had a confrontation with a man named Chauncey Owens, 38. Last year the city settled with Aiyana's family for $8.25 million. 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. Mark Diaz, union president of the Detroit city Council killed in Detroit, Monday, May,! Death following a dispute the trigger and the perjury charge was dropped in April 2011 to murder., 2010 killed during a Police raid recent event called Run with the,! 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