Death of Aiyana Jones
| Aiyana Jones | |
|---|---|
Aiyana Jones
|
|
| Born |
Aiyana Mo'Nay Stanley-Jones July 20, 2002 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | May 16, 2010 (aged 7) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Manslaughter |
| Resting place | Trinity Cemetery 5210 Mount Elliott Street Detroit, Michigan 48211 |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Aiyana Stanley-Jones |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Known for | Shot in police raid |
| Weight | 59 lb (27 kg) |
| Parent(s) | Charles Jones (father) Dominika Stanley (mother) |
Aiyana Mo'Nay Stanley-Jones (July 20, 2002 – May 16, 2010), was a seven-year-old African-American girl from the east side of Detroit, Michigan who was shot and killed during a raid conducted by the Detroit Police Department's Special Response Team on May 16, 2010. Her death drew national media attention and led U.S. Representative John Conyers to ask U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder for a federal investigation into the incident.
Officer Joseph Weekley was charged in connection with Jones' death. In October 2011, Weekley was charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment with a gun. Weekley's first trial ended in a mistrial in June 2013.
Weekley's retrial began in September 2014. On October 3, the judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charge against Weekley, leaving him on trial for only one charge: recklessly discharging a firearm.
On October 10, the second trial ended in another mistrial.
On January 28, 2015, a prosecutor cleared Weekley of the last remaining charge against him, ensuring there would not be a third trial.
On Friday, May 14, 2010, Southeastern High School senior Je'Rean Blake was shot and killed near the intersection of Mack and Beniteau on Detroit's east side. By Saturday night, police had identified Chauncey Owens as a suspect in the shooting and obtained a warrant to search 4054 Lillibridge St, where he was believed to be hiding.
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. Subsequently, Officer Joseph Weekley, claimed that the flash grenade blinded his view of the person on the couch in the living room.
Police officers, bystanders, and residents of the home disagreed about the events that followed. According to police, Officer Joseph Weekley was the first one through the door. He pushed his way inside, protected by a ballistic shield. Weekley claimed Aiyana Jones' paternal grandmother Mertilla Jones attempted to grab his gun, causing it to fire. The bullet struck Aiyana. "A woman inside grabbed my gun," Weekley said. "It fired. The bullet hit a child."
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Wikipedia