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Aaron Dean, the previous Texas police officer who was convicted of manslaughter within the 2019 killing of Atatiana Jefferson, has been sentenced to 11 years, 10 months and 12 days in jail.
The choice was introduced on the afternoon of Tuesday, Dec. 20, lower than every week after Dean was discovered responsible of manslaughter on Dec. 15.
Dean was initially indicted on a homicide cost, however earlier than the jury started deliberations, the choose within the case advised them they may take into account a manslaughter verdict, which in Texas carries a most penalty of 20 years in jail.
Sentencing deliberations started on Monday. The jury deliberated for greater than seven hours earlier than breaking for the day.
The sentencing ends a long-delayed trial that started three years after Jefferson was killed in her Forth Price-area dwelling. Dean arrived at her home on Oct. 12, 2019, responding to a name about an open entrance door after a neighbor made a report back to a nonemergency police line. Dean stated that he believed a housebreaking was in course of, although Jefferson’s nephew, who was within the dwelling on the time of the taking pictures, stated that the door had been left open to vent smoke from hamburgers he burned.
Whereas searching for indicators of an intruder, Dean went into the yard of the home. Prosecutor Dale Smith contended that Dean didn’t announce himself at any time. Jefferson’s nephew, who was 8 years outdated on the time of the taking pictures, stated his aunt grabbed a handgun she owned as a result of she heard noises exterior.
The principle query of the trial was whether or not Dean noticed Jefferson’s weapon earlier than opening hearth himself. Dean testified that he had seen the barrel of the gun pointed at him, so he opened hearth; his protection legal professional Bob Gill stated in closing statements that Dean had a proper to self protection.
Smith argued that Dean didn’t give Jefferson time to adjust to instructions, akin to elevating her arms; physique digicam footage launched by the Fort Price Police Division reveals Dean taking pictures Jefferson a few second after he first addressed her. Prosecutors alleged that Dean by no means noticed the gun, and described him as a “gung-ho, hard-charger” who “simply shot.”
Dean had accomplished his police academy coaching the yr earlier than the 2019 taking pictures, and give up the drive two days after the taking pictures, hours earlier than he was arrested and charged with homicide.
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