The Former Texas Police Officer Who Fatally Shot Atatiana Jefferson has been Sentenced to Almost 12 Years in Prison
The ex-police officer from Texas who shot and killed Atatiana Jefferson in her house has been sentenced to nearly 12 years in jail.
In October 2019, while police responded to an “open structure report,” white cop Aaron Dean fatally shot 28-year-old African American woman Jefferson. Zion, now 11 years old, was with Jefferson when she was shot and killed. The age of 8 when the shooting occurred was significant for him.
Before this month, Dean had been found guilty of manslaughter instead of murder; he faced a maximum term of 20 years in prison. Instead, a Tarrant County jury handed down a unanimous verdict of 11 years, ten months, and 12 days in prison. After deliberating for nearly two days, the jury reached their verdict.
After removing a gag order, Jefferson’s sister Ashley Carr shared her thoughts on her brother’s sentence
“Can we imagine wanting more time? That’s right, we absolutely would. But the jury reached that verdict, “according to what Carr reportedly said while standing outside Jefferson’s house on the news.” She continued, “Guys, this has been tough.” “It’s been a rough three years.” She emphasized the age of Zion as a factor in the sentence’s relevance.
“Zion has been around for the same time, eleven years. As of today, ten months and 12 days have passed. In this, there is a statement, “The KDFW report quotes her as saying. It’s not the whole dream or the message we were hoping for, but it’s a start.
Lee Merritt, the attorney for the family, said the sentence was “a comfort ,he added, “It wasn’t precisely the justice we all believed Atatiana deserved, but it did mark a historic moment in Fort Worth and Tarrant County.”
After serving half his sentence, Dean will be eligible for parole, and the TV station said that Carr and Merritt intend to seek federal charges against him. If he files an appeal, he will remain in custody during the process.
Carr sent Dean along these lines: “For the previous three years, I’ve despised the thought of you spending the holidays with your relatives. I’ve just arrived at sympathy today.” According to her, the ex-officer has no intention of “sincere remorse” and “I feel sorry for your naiveté,” respectively. You need to be self-aware enough to know any better.
An emotional victim impact statement was provided by Carr
She says her sister “was a lovely flower just starting to bloom.” She said, “It was not my sister’s fault. She was at the spot she thought would be the safest, but something bad happened there.”
On the morning of October 12, 2019, at about 2:30 a.m., police in Fort Worth, Texas, responded to an “open structure report” in the 1200 block of E. Allen Avenue, where Jefferson was fatally shot. Jefferson’s front door was reportedly left open, which prompted a neighbor to phone the police.
Though Jefferson and Zion had been playing video games at the time, the neighbor had called the police out of worry for the Texas woman after seeing her door wide open
For Michael “Britt” London, head of the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, an “open structure” or “open door call” is very different from a wellness check. As the reported incident might be anything from a door left unlocked on accident to a break-in, cops are trained to be extra vigilant when responding to an “open structure” call.
Police revealed body camera footage that showed two cops walking around the side of the house as one officer approached a shuttered first-floor window with a flashlight. Several media sources posted the film. The cop pointed his rifle at the suspect and shouted, “Raise your hands! Put your hands up!”
Dean, the police officer who opened fire, never revealed his identity.
source: people.com
