The Aiyana Jones case involved the fatal shooting of seven-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones by a Detroit police officer during a May 2010 raid on her family’s home. The officer, Joseph Weekley, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and careless discharge of a firearm, but after two trials ended in hung juries, prosecutors dismissed the charges in early 2015. No one was ever convicted for her death.
What Happened During the Detroit Raid
In the early morning of May 16, 2010, the Detroit Special Response Team moved on a duplex on Lillibridge Street. Officers were looking for a suspect wanted in connection with a violent crime, and investigators believed he was hiding inside. A camera crew from the reality program The First 48 was filming the operation.
Under Michigan law, officers executing a search warrant may break into a building if they are refused entry after announcing their authority and purpose.1Michigan Legislature. MCL § 780.656 The entry team threw a flash-bang grenade through the front window of the living room, a device meant to disorient anyone inside with a burst of light and sound. Aiyana was asleep on a couch near the front door next to her grandmother, Mertilla Jones.
Officer Weekley entered with his weapon drawn. In the seconds that followed, he and Mertilla Jones came into physical contact. Weekley later said the grandmother reached for his gun and it discharged accidentally. Mertilla Jones denied touching the weapon and said Weekley fired almost immediately after coming through the door. A single bullet struck Aiyana and killed her.
The Charges Against Officer Weekley
The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office charged Weekley with two offenses:
- Involuntary manslaughter, a felony carrying up to 15 years in prison.2Michigan Legislature. MCL § 750.321
- Careless discharge of a firearm causing death or injury, a misdemeanor.3Michigan Legislature. MCL § 752.861
Involuntary manslaughter covers an unintentional killing without malice, applied when a death results from negligent conduct or a failure to perform a legal duty.4Michigan Courts. Michigan Traffic Benchbook – Section: Issues The careless discharge statute applies when someone causes a firearm under their control to fire through recklessness, carelessness, or negligence, and the discharge must actually cause injury or death.3Michigan Legislature. MCL § 752.861
How the Trials Ended
The first trial took place in 2013 and ended in a hung jury. Unable to reach a unanimous verdict, the jury was dismissed and the judge declared a mistrial. Prosecutors chose to try the case again.
The second trial began in 2014. Weekley’s defense maintained that the shooting was accidental. Partway through the proceeding, the judge dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charge, ruling that the evidence did not support it. That left only the careless discharge count for the jury to decide, and that jury also deadlocked.
With two juries unable to agree, the Wayne County Prosecutor moved in early 2015 to drop the remaining charge. The court granted the dismissal, ending the criminal case against Weekley without a conviction or any prison time. Aiyana’s family turned to civil litigation against the city to seek accountability.