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Ex-officer was convicted of manslaughter for fatally capturing 28-year-old Black girl Atatiana Jefferson in her Texas house.
A former police officer within the southern US state of Texas has been sentenced to just about 12 years in jail for fatally capturing Atatiana Jefferson, a Black girl, by the rear window of her house in 2019 after getting into her property unannounced.
On Tuesday, a jury sentenced 38-year-old Aaron Dean to 11 years and 10 months in jail after convicting Dean of manslaughter final Thursday. He had confronted a possible sentence of as much as 20 years in jail.
”Immediately’s responsible verdict is one small step to delivering justice for Atatiana Jefferson and her household,” US Congressman Marc Veasey, who represents a Texas district, stated in a press release following the conviction final week.
“This verdict underscores the vital work that must be completed regionally and nationally to make sure a tragedy like this one doesn’t occur once more.”
Immediately’s sentencing of Aaron Dean is one other step in the direction of justice and accountability within the homicide of Atatiana Jefferson. We should stay dedicated to enacting common sense reforms that may forestall tragedies like this from persevering with to occur to communities of colour. https://t.co/UsxhMkizRT
— Rep. Marc Veasey (@RepVeasey) December 20, 2022
Whereas police killings of unarmed folks in the US have drawn important consideration in recent times and spurred mass protests, the Texas trial led to a uncommon conviction of a police officer for killing somebody who additionally had a gun.
Dean, a police officer within the Texas metropolis of Fort Price on the time of the incident, fatally shot Jefferson, 28, after a neighbour referred to as a non-emergency police line stating that the entrance door to Jefferson’s house was open.
Jefferson had been taking part in video video games together with her eight-year-old nephew and had opened the door to let loose smoke from cooking a hamburger.
The trial revolved round whether or not Dean knew that Jefferson was armed.
Jefferson had pulled a gun out of her purse and aimed in the direction of the bed room window after listening to noises. Dean and fellow officer Carol Darch didn’t determine themselves once they arrived on the house and Dean, suspecting a housebreaking, moved into the fenced-off again yard together with his gun drawn.
Physique digital camera footage reveals him yelling at Jefferson, who’s inside, to point out her arms, then capturing her a split-second later.
Dean claimed that he had seen Jefferson’s weapon, however prosecutors maintained that proof confirmed in any other case.
Darch’s again was to the window when Dean shot, however she testified that he by no means talked about seeing a gun earlier than he pulled the set off and didn’t say something in regards to the weapon as they rushed in to look the home.
Dean testified that he had no alternative however to shoot Jefferson as a result of she was pointing a gun at him, however acknowledged quite a few missteps and “unhealthy police work” earlier than the court docket. He additionally acknowledged that he had not talked about the gun and that he by no means gave Jefferson first assist.
The Forth Price Police Division, the place Dean was employed, shortly launched footage of the capturing and arrested Dean following an outpouring of public anger.
Deadly police shootings stay a persistent and contentious subject within the US, prompting protests and ongoing requires severe reforms to policing.
The police killing of George Floyd within the metropolis of Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2020 set off demonstrations all over the world demanding an finish to police violence and racism.
Former officer Derek Chauvin, who saved his knee on Floyd’s neck for greater than 9 minutes throughout the deadly incident, was sentenced to greater than 22 years in jail final 12 months after being convicted of killing the unarmed 46-year-old.
The opposite officers concerned in Floyd’s dying even have acquired jail sentences of various lengths for violating Floyd’s civil rights.
The deadly capturing of Jefferson befell seven months earlier than Floyd was killed.
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