Mistrial declared in case of cop accused of killing girl

[The Straight Story]

DETROIT — The trial of aDetroit police officer accused of involuntary manslaughterin the death of a 7-year-old girl during a raid has ended in a hung jury.

The jury reported back shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday that it couldn't reach a verdict even though the judge earlier in the day had asked jurors to continue deliberating the case of Officer Joseph Weekley, who was charged with felony involuntary manslaughter and careless discharge of a firearm causing death.

Family members of Aiyana Stanley-Jones began crying as the judge declared a mistrial and dismissed the jury.

Aiyana was shot in the head as the Detroit Police Department's Special Response Team executed a search warrant for a murder suspect May 16, 2010. Weekley, 37, is accused of gross negligence resulting in Aiyana's death during a raid at a home.

Aiyana was sleeping in the front room when police entered and she was shot.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/18/detroit-girl-killed-police-trial/2435219/

[DreamGypsy]

1. This was the " the police operation was flawed and heavily influenced by camera crews ...

...who were filming the raid for A&E's crime show "The First 48" case.

From CBS: Police Raid that Killed Child Was "Flawed," Says Lawyer; Filming for TV Got Officers "Excited"

Detroit police spokesman John Roach confirms that the raid and attempted arrest of a homicide suspect at the two-unit house was being videotaped for an episode of the reality crime-show "The First 48." Roach said investigators are going through the footage to determine what happened, reports The Detroit News.

The Assistant Chief of the Detroit Police Ralph Godbee would not comment on newspaper reports that neighbors told police there were children in the house and showed them toys in the front yard before they threw a flash grenade through the window of the house.

Apparently, the 34-year-old murder suspect the Detroit police were searching for shares the home with Charles Jones, Aiyana's father. However, according to Oak Park attorney Karri Mitchell,"There was nothing but innocent people in the home where they put this flash grenade."

Even though a no-knock search warrant allowed police to search both apartments, Mitchell told The Detroit News the police "were excited; they were on TV...They didn't have to throw a grenade through the front window when they knew there were children in there."

Someone is guilty for this death.