After 5 days of testimony and over 13 hours of deliberation, the jury returned with a verdict Thursday.
FORT WORTH, Texas — After greater than 13 hours of deliberation, a Tarrant County jury has found former Fort Worth officer Aaron Dean guilty of manslaughter within the demise of Atatiana Jefferson.
Dean was charged in Jefferson’s 2019 demise. The former Fort Worth officer shot and killed Jefferson by way of a window whereas responding to the house on an “open structure” name.
The trial spanned 5 days, with numerous witnesses from each the prosecution and protection. Among them, Jefferson’s nephew Zion Carr, Dean’s ex-partner Carol Darch and several other others. Dean additionally took the stand himself in an try and clear his identify.
Five days of testimony
It’s been greater than three years since Jefferson’s neighbor, James Smith, referred to as the police division’s non-emergency line to verify on his neighbor. Smith stated the doorways have been open on the dwelling on East Allen Avenue.
Dean responded to the decision at 2:25 a.m. on Oct. 12, 2019, together with his companion Darch. While Smith referred to as in a welfare verify, the decision was filed underneath an “open structure” name. When responding, Dean checked the house and stated he and his companion believed it was a housebreaking in course of.
Dean stated, as he stood within the again of the house, he noticed a silhouette low within the window of Jefferson’s home. He stated he may solely see the higher arms of the physique, and he believed there was motion.
Dean turned visibly shaken throughout his testimony, telling the jury he began shouting instructions for the silhouette to “put up your hands, show me your hands.”
After he shot one spherical by way of the bed room window, he heard Jefferson scream. Later, he found her gun on the ground close to her toes.
From the second Dean arrived at Jefferson’s dwelling to when he shot and killed her, the complete incident was over in a span of 1 minute and 17 seconds.
Prosecutor Dale Smith hammered Dean over the errors allegedly made in responding to the decision at Jefferson’s dwelling, particularly driving dwelling the truth that he didn’t see the palms of the ‘silhouette’ within the window nor establish to his companion there was a gun, or instantly begin CPR on Jefferson.
“I know you’re crying now, but you weren’t crying when you decided not to administer CPR to Atatiana,” Smith stated to Dean throughout his testimony.
In complete, the trial noticed 5 days of testimony. The prosecution and protection rested their instances on Dec. 13.
Several witnesses have been referred to as to the stand and broke down what occurred that October evening with “use-of-force” consultants from each side, a 911 call-taker, Jefferson’s sister and notably her nephew, Zion.
During the trial, group leaders expressed disappointment within the proceedings, particularly with the prosecution.
“How are you able to relaxation? We go three [years] earlier than we begin a trial. And you go three days? That’s unacceptable. That was a poor job by the prosecution,” stated Cory Session, a group activist.
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