POLICE BRUTALITY CASES: WALTER SCOTT MURDER & MORE

[HairOfTheDog]

Fort Worth, Texas

Just at the Botham Jean case was wrapped up, another Texas police officer is charged with murdering a person in her own home on Saturday.

This time however, the police officer was on-duty.  He was responding to a non-emergency request from a neighbor to perform a wellness check because the woman's front door had been left ajar from the late evening to wee morning hours.  

The neighbor wanted to make sure she was alright and is shocked by what transpired.



The woman, 28-year-old Atiatiana Jefferson ^, was babysitting her 8-year-old nephew at the time.  Rest in peace.

(continued)

[HairOfTheDog]

Surveillance cameras show police arriving at 2:25 a.m., shining a light in the window, and then yelling, "put your hands up, show us your hands".  



Within seconds, new police officer Aaron Dean ^, fired a single fatal shot through the window.  At no time did he or other officers identify themselves as police officers.

Dean, of course, claims he feared for his life.  He resigned before he could be fired.  He was arrested and charged with murder yesterday.

There was a gun found in Jefferson's home, but yet no indication as to where it was located. 

The police chief has apologized for the shooting and acknowledged wrong-doing on the part of police.  

The chief said the officers mistakenly believed they were responding to a more serious situation, but that's no excuse and that the whole department is reeling over what occurred and how it tarnishes the entire force.  

Chief Kraus also promised public transparency as the investigation continues.

Refs:
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/for...g-n1066306
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tex...e-n1065451
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fort-worth-...019-10-15/

[Duchess]

Another sad & horrible story. In her own home! Jesus. That poor man who thought he was doing the neighborly thing. My God.

[MirahM]

It is fucked up.

[HairOfTheDog]

Update

A murder warrant for Aaron Dean, the Fort Worth officer who killed Atatiana Jefferson in her home, recounts what led up to the shooting from the perspective of her 8-year-old nephew.

The boy, who was in the room with Jefferson when she was shot, told a forensic interviewer that he and his aunt were playing video games together about 2:30 a.m. Saturday when she heard noises outside their home in the 1200 block of East Allen Avenue.

Jefferson, 28, took her handgun from her purse and pointed it “toward the window” before she was shot, the nephew said, according to the arrest-warrant affidavit.
The 8-year-old saw his aunt fall to the ground. She was pronounced dead at 3:05 a.m.

Interim Police Chief Ed Kraus said at a news conference Tuesday that it “makes sense that she would have a gun if she felt that she was being threatened or there was someone in the backyard.” (Good for him not trying to make her out to be in the wrong when lights were shining in the window and people were screaming without identifying themselves).

That sentiment was echoed by an attorney for the victim’s family. Lee Merritt said Jefferson had every right to defend herself because the officers did not announce themselves as law enforcement.

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[HairOfTheDog]

“It’s only appropriate that Ms. Jefferson would have a gun,” Merritt said, noting that she had a license to carry the legally owned firearm  (the proverbial "good guy/girl with a gun” attempting to defend her own castle and family).

"When you think there’s someone prowling around in the back at 2 in the morning, you may need to arm yourself. That person could have a gun.”

Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price, speaking at a news conference Monday, said the gun was irrelevant.
“She was in her own home,” the mayor said of Jefferson. “She was taken from her family in circumstances that are truly unthinkable.”

Kraus said previously that the department’s decision to release a still image of the firearm found in the room where Jefferson was shot — without any further information about the weapon or what it had to do with the case — wasn’t the right call.

Full piece:  https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/20...thorities/