Even though people convicted of manslaughter generally face 2 to 20 years in prison, legal experts say some fine print in the law may allow Aaron Dean to get probation — no time behind bars. Scott Gordon reports on Dean’s conviction, and what’s ahead for his sentencing.
What to Know
- Aaron Dean was accused of murder for the October 2019 fatal shooting of Atatiana Jefferson; jurors could either find him not guilty, guilty of murder, or guilty of manslaughter.
- A Tarrant County jury found him guilty of manslaughter on Thursday; sentencing begins Friday and he faces between 2 and 20 years behind bars.
- Dean pleaded not guilty in the case and his attorneys have argued the former Fort Worth police officer was defending himself.
Former Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean faces up to 20 years behind bars after being found guilty of manslaughter Thursday in the 2019 shooting death of Atatiana Jefferson.
A Tarrant County jury delivered a guilty verdict Thursday afternoon, though not the one sought by prosecutors. After fatally shooting Atatiana Jefferson through a rear window of her home in 2019, Dean had been charged with murder though the jury was also able to consider the lesser offense of manslaughter along with the possibility of finding him not guilty.
Dean showed no obvious reaction to the verdict as it was read by Judge George Gallagher.
With the manslaughter conviction, Dean was taken into custody after the verdict and now faces between 2 and 20 years in prison. He had faced up to life in prison if convicted of murder. Dean, who had been free on bond, was booked into the Tarrant County Jail following the verdict.
The sentencing phase of the trial will begin Friday morning.
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Jurors deliberated for more than 13 hours over two days before finding him guilty of manslaughter. The primary dispute during the six days of testimony and arguments was whether Dean knew Jefferson was armed when he shot her. Dean testified that he saw her weapon; prosecutors alleged the evidence showed otherwise.
U.S. & World
Lesa Pamplin, an attorney and friend of the Jefferson family, said she was glad that jurors took their time.
“These folks gave a good, hard look at the evidence and they didn’t rush it. And I’m happy, not pleased, but I’m happy that they got the manslaughter,” Pamplin said.
Another friend of the Jefferson family, Cliff Sparks, told The Dallas Morning News that he thinks the verdict will give other officers the message that they “can shoot and kill somebody in his own backyard and get the lesser charge.”
“It’s not right,” Sparks said. “None of this is right.”
Family members of both Jefferson and Dean left the courtroom without commenting. Those associated with the trial are unable to comment, still subject to a gag order in place until the trial concludes.
Dean was responding to a non-emergency open structure call at a home along East Allen Avenue on Oct. 12, 2019, when he fired a single shot through a back window after he testified that he saw a silhouette and the barrel of a gun.
Dean's attorneys have argued the former police officer was defending himself but prosecutors told a different story. Jefferson was inside the home she shared with her mother playing video games with her 8-year-old nephew Zion when she got up to investigate a noise she'd heard outside. Jefferson took her gun from her purse and walked toward a window and that's when the officer fatally shot her.
After five days of testimony, both sides rested their cases on Tuesday before delivering closing arguments Wednesday morning. The case was handed to the jury Wednesday afternoon and they deliberated for roughly 24 hours before the verdict was read at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
The punishment phase of the trial will begin at 8:30 a.m. Friday.
VERDICT REACTION TO AARON DEAN, ATATIANA JEFFERSON MURDER TRIAL
Mayor Mattie Parker, the City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth Police Department
Today's verdict provides a measure of justice, though it does not change the fact that a tragedy occurred that should have never happened. This tragedy for me has always been about Atatiana Jefferson – about her life as a daughter, sister, and aunt, and her lasting legacy. Many people in our community are hurting, and we must come together with compassion and grace. Our prayers are with the jury as they continue their service in the sentencing phase. May God bless Atatiana’s memory and continue to be with her family.
Former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price
“It is my hope and prayer that today’s long-awaited verdict provides a sense of closure and peace to Atatiana Jefferson’s family, friends, loved ones, and our entire community. The City of Fort Worth and the nation have patiently waited for the judicial system to run its course and I applaud the professionalism of Judge Gallagher and jury. While we continue the process of healing as a community the memory and legacy of Atatiana will continue on for generations to come. This marks a pivotal moment for our community, as an opportunity for us to remember and honor Atatiana. Together, we must acknowledge that there is still work to be done as we overcome biases and inequities in an effort to make Fort Worth the best city in the nation.”
NAACP Fort Worth
The officers and members of the Fort Worth Tarrant County Branch of the NAACP join others across the nation in expressing relief that justice was served in the Aaron Dean verdict. We’re optimistic that this decision may represent a paradigm shift, where we begin to overcome racial and social injustices locally, regionally, and nationally that have been pervasive in policing. Whatever you feel about today’s verdict, it’s another reminder of how much more we have to do to heal as a nation.
Estella Williams, president of the NAACP Fort Worth
There must be a strategy for change that will ensure an America that will be true to our constitution.
Lee Merritt, civil rights attorney
We're glad that a sentence has come forth. This family has waited for a really long time. We think the appropriate sentence was murder. I don't know that the confines of the gag will allow me to get into the whys seeing as that there is still a sentencing phase. So I'll hold off on my statements until then.
Rev. Michael Bell, Fort Worth pastor
Dean was brought to trial, he was not brought to justice. Manslaughter is not enough. This young lady was minding her own business. And so it's not enough. So, of course, that's why you see all the outrage and all the kind of responses that you see. Because of the fact that it's not enough … he's still convicted of a crime, which is major in Tarrant County. This is a major something in Tarrant County, but he should have been found guilty of murder.
Lesa Pamplin, Fort Worth attorney
Aaron Dean's bond should be held insufficient and he should be spending the night in jail. And that's something that hasn't happened in Tarrant County. This is a first. I'm glad, when everybody was talking about the makeup of the jury and everything .. these folks gave a good, hard look at the evidence and didn't rush it. I'm happy, not pleased, but I'm happy that they got the manslaughter.
Next Generation Action Network
Our organization is pleased to know that the jury realized this was a crime, but we still believe it was murder. We thank the jury for their service but we are criticizing the leadership of Sharon Wilson, who failed to put the appropriate resources from her office. In this case, during the trial, the Tarrant County District Attorney's office really didn't show they wanted to prosecute this case. Still, we stand with the family in knowing that some semblance of justice is going to be served. Still, we must all continue to understand that there is a lot of work to be done in regard to the city of Fort Worth in the levels of corruption that were mentioned in this trial. We want city leaders to know they failed the community at large. You know our organization stands in solidarity with the entire North Texas community as we continue to demand justice and accountability for bad policing in America.
CLEAT - Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas
The families and communities impacted by this case are in our thoughts as the jury reached its verdict today. CLEAT remains committed to our honored duty of representing our members in the most dangerous and difficult profession in this country. We respect the process and the members of the jury and thank our defense team for their hard work on this case.
Chris Nettles, Fort Worth City Councilman
We have been waiting for 1,160 days for justice to be served. And yet...justice still hasn't been served. This verdict is a slap in the face to the Black communities in Fort Worth and across the country. This verdict says that a white man can murder a Black woman in her own home with nothing more than a slap on the wrist - literally. I don't know where we go from here, but I do know that things need to change. I will continue to use my voice to fight for fairness, justice, and equality in Fort Worth. My prayers are with Ashley, Amber, Zion, and the rest of the Carr family. I will make sure that the City of Fort Worth continues to honor the legacy of Atatiana Carr Jefferson."
RECAP OF WITNESS TESTIMONIES DURING AARON DEAN'S MURDER TRIAL
Atatiana Jefferson was playing video games with her then-8-year-old nephew on the night of the shooting. The boy, who is now 11 years old, was the only witness inside the house and he testified on day one of the trial saying he and his aunt burned some hamburgers earlier in the evening and that the door was opened to ventilate the house.
Recalling the moments leading up to the fatal shooting, Carr said his aunt got up to investigate a noise she heard outside, unaware the Fort Worth Police had been called to their home and were searching the home outside.
Dean and his partner, Carol Darch, did not announce themselves when they arrived at the home Both Dean and Darch testified that after looking through the open door the house was in disarray and appeared to have been ransacked. They said department policies did not require announcing their presence at an “open structure” call or during a burglary in progress.
“It looked like someone had methodically gone through the house,” said Darch, adding that she didn’t hear anything in front of the home.
Carr told a child forensic interviewer the morning of the shooting that Jefferson pointed a gun toward the window. Carr gave conflicting stories when he said she kept the gun at her side while giving testimony during the trial.
Carr also told the interviewer he heard someone yell outside the window and thought he saw a police badge but in his testimony, Carr said he didn’t hear or see anything outside. Defense lawyers implied to Judge George Gallagher, who is proceeding over the trial, they believe Carr was coached to give a different account of the shooting.
Dean's partner, Darch, testified about the difference between “open structure” and “welfare check” calls as well as “burglary-in-progress.” They were responding to an "open structure" call when Dean shot and killed Atatiana Jefferson.
Darch testified they started walking toward the side door and backyard and said Dean took the lead as they went into the backyard and that they did not call for backup.
Darch's testimony spoke to the vital issue in the case: whether Dean saw Jefferson's gun before he opened fire. Darch testified that she never saw Jefferson's gun and said she never heard Dean announce "gun" before he opened fire.
Dean, 38, took the stand in his own defense this week before both sides rested their cases saying "the jury needs to hear from me and hear the truth."
During his testimony, Dean admitted he made mistakes when responding to an open structure call but said he had no choice when he fatally shot the woman. He said that he'd have done it again if a different scenario had played out where she'd exited the house with a gun pointed at him.
Dean also said Jefferson was bent over and stood upright as he drew his service weapon. He said her gun was near her chest, and he saw the barrel of the gun through the window after describing what he saw as a "silhouette." Dean’s lawyers have said he followed his training and met deadly force with deadly force.
Dean resigned from the police department before he could be fired, the then-interim police chief said at the time.
Jay Coons, a criminal justice professor at Sam Houston State University testified for the defense, saying Dean’s actions as a police officer were reasonable. Coons told jurors the officers “didn’t know what they had” other than an open door.
A forensic video evidence expert said that just about a half second lapsed from when Dean started shouting commands at Jefferson to when he pulled the trigger. The prosecution argued that given Coons’ prior testimony, Jefferson wouldn’t have had enough time to respond to the officer’s orders before the lethal shot was fired, piercing her heart.
Dean yelled, “Put your hands up, show me your hands,” before firing, his body-camera footage shows. Dean did not alert his partner he saw a gun until after seeing the gun at Jefferson’s feet when they got into the home, according to the partner’s testimony and the body-camera footage.
Coons testified that the department’s policy for open structure calls does not prohibit officers from announcing themselves. He said it is implied they shouldn’t make themselves known if the officers believe something nefarious is happening. Coons said the mere presence of an officer in a police uniform is a form of announcement.
He later implied while being questioned by a prosecutor that he did not believe Dean committed a crime when he killed Jefferson.
“Police officers are trained that when a firearm is pointed at you, shoot that individual, you are in extreme danger, you are in danger of being shot and killed,” Coons said. “As far as the training, as far as your options as a human being, it’s down to one decision ... one decision only.”
Prosecutors rested their case after only three days of testimony, which surprised legal experts and community leaders. Initially, they did not put on an expert to testify to whether Dean’s killing of Jefferson was justified, but after the defense called three witnesses, including Dean, the prosecution presented a rebuttal witness.
Jonathyn Priest, a retired Denver police officer who now works as a consultant on police use-of-force cases, testified for the prosecution and said Dean should not have walked around the house. Priest said Dean should have either announced himself as police when he walked up to the open front door or called for backup.
“My opinion is they shouldn’t have left the front door,” Priest said. “Anything after leaving that front door creates potential risk and danger.”
The final two witnesses gave conflicting testimonies about whether Dean was following police protocols when he went into Jefferson's backyard unannounced.
The family has described Jefferson as a loving aunt and aspiring doctor. She grew up in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas and graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana. Her older sister, Ashley Carr, said Jefferson had recently moved back in with her mother, Yolanda after she fell ill. Jefferson was also saving up for medical school.
Carr said her mother's side door was often open, referring to it as, "the kind of home you can always come into."
This high-profile story of Jefferson's death gained national attention and caused protests against police brutality across North Texas.
The case was unusual for the relative speed with which, amid public outrage, the Fort Worth Police Department released video of the shooting and arrested Dean. He’d completed the police academy the year before and quit the force without speaking to investigators.
Since then, the case was repeatedly postponed amid lawyerly wrangling, the terminal illness of Dean’s lead attorney and the COVID-19 pandemic.
