Timeline: Aaron Dean goes on trial for Atatiana Jefferson’s death

FORT WORTH, Texas — More than three years have handed since James Smith requested police to examine on his neighbor and the blue house on East Allen Avenue was wrapped in crime scene tape after Aaron Dean killed Atatiana Jefferson.

This week, the trial for the previous Fort Worth police officer is ready to start.

After greater than 1,100 days since Oct. 12, 2019, there may be now a clearer image of what occurred that day.

At 2:25 a.m., Jefferson’s neighbor James Smith known as a non-emergency line asking police to verify Jefferson was okay.

“They’re usually home but they’ve never had both of the front doors open,” Smith mentioned on the decision. “It’s not normal for them to have both the doors open this late for that long.”

“I explained on the call there wasn’t any type of violence going on, any time of arguments going on,” Smith would say in a later interview. “It was simply a concern for my neighbor.”

Officer Aaron Dean arrived on the house at 2:29 a.m.

His physique digital camera video exhibits the 36-year-old officer, who had simply began a 12 months earlier in April, first look by means of the entrance door, then stroll to the aspect. Both display doorways had been closed however the wooden doorways had been open.

Inside, Jefferson, who had moved into the house to maintain her ailing mom, was taking part in video video games together with her 8-year-old nephew, Zion.

About one minute after first attending to the house, Dean will get to the again, by no means saying his presence or that he was a police officer. Court paperwork mentioned Atatiana heard somebody creeping in her yard, grabbed her gun and opened the blinds.

“Put your hands up! Show me your hands!” Dean shouted shortly.

Less than one second after he instructed Jefferson to indicate her palms, Dean fired. The single shot killed Atatiana Jefferson.

The officer who was dispatched with Dean solely noticed “Jefferson’s face through the window” when Dean shot as soon as into the home, the warrant mentioned.

“Nobody looked at the video and said there’s any doubt that this officer acted inappropriately,” then-Police Chief Ed Kraus mentioned in a press convention.

“People say, ‘James, it’s not your fault, it’s not your fault, but I made a call,” Smith mentioned “I made the call because I thought they were going to do what I called them to do: check on my neighbor.”

In its first press launch, Fort Worth police shared images of Jefferson’s gun together with the physique digital camera video, however the division and former Mayor Betsy Price later known as {that a} mistake since Jefferson was in her own residence.

“The gun is irrelevant,” Price mentioned. “She was in her own home, caring for her 8-year-old nephew.”

Dean by no means gave police investigators any motive why he fired his gun. Kraus, who stepped down on the finish of 2020, mentioned Dean resigned earlier than he might be fired.

“If the officer had not resigned, I would’ve fired him for several violations including our use of force policy,” Kraus mentioned.

Oct. 14, two days after the killing, Dean was arrested for the taking pictures and launched on a $200,000 bond simply three hours later. He was later formally charged with homicide.

“She was in her own place and shot and killed her,” Dr. Michael Bennett of the Tarrant County Local Organizing Committee mentioned. “That’s not only unacceptable. That’s murder.”

The taking pictures occurred simply two weeks after Amber Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in jail for murdering Botham Jean in his condominium, and 28-year-old Jefferson was the sixth individual Fort Worth police killed in a five-month span in 2019.

For weeks, annoyed and frightened neighborhood members stuffed council conferences and metropolis streets to protest.

Three weeks after the taking pictures, police launched Dean’s self-discipline paperwork and preliminary job interview with Fort Worth PD.

“I wanted to serve my fellow citizens in a very up-close and personal way,” Dean mentioned when requested why he needed to job.

Later within the interview Dean solutions shortly when requested if he might kill.

“No problem,” Dean mentioned.

In the identical interview, Dean is requested a couple of Class C misdemeanor for “simple assault.” He admitted to touching the breast of a girl whereas he was a scholar on the University of Texas at Arlington. He pleaded no contest, acquired a quotation and paid a tremendous.

“The previous simple assault charge was a Class C misdemeanor, and it was given significant scrutiny during the hiring process,” Fort Worth police officers mentioned in a press release concerning the earlier cost.

After Jefferson’s death, town employed police monitor Kim Neal. Her hiring got here not from Jefferson’s death however stemmed from points following the controversial arrest of a Fort Worth mom in 2016. 

Through the summer season of 2020, Jefferson’s identify was once more shouted on Fort Worth’s streets throughout protests over the homicide of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

In March of 2021, Dean was briefly in court docket for a movement listening to. Then, in the summertime and fall, Jefferson’s household filed lawsuits towards town, Dean and others together with one which asks for $10 million in damages.

“Her father called this shooting senseless,” Kraus mentioned. “I certainly have not been able to make sense of why she had to lose her life.”

The case was delayed once more in June when Judge David Hagerman was recused from the case after Dean’s attorneys alleged bias.

Now, it’s been greater than three years since James Smith was nervous about his neighbor.

“I’ve prayed and I’ve cried,” he mentioned. “Now I’m going to fight and I’m ready.”

It’s been greater than three years since Atatiana Jefferson’s household noticed her for the final time.

“We all just want justice for our loved one,” her sister Ashley Carr mentioned. “We never had a chance to grieve. It’s just like it’s so much.”

This week, the trial lastly strikes ahead.