TX - Atatiana Jefferson, 28, fatally shot at home, Fort Worth, Oct 2019 *officer charged*

[Artis]

Not so fast.

Graham v. Connor
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Horrible decision!

That case is very different from this one, though, and that #6 clearly states they shall not into a building unless they know it's the SUSPECT and the suspect is threatening them.

Having said that, the constitution is clear (to me, at least) and it's been violated since it was signed.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“I’m sad about the situation. The whole school is mourning,” said Xavier student Barakah Hassell.

“I can see both sides, but ultimately police should have handled it to ensure their safety and the civilians safety was ensured,” said student Edward Rasheed.

"Just knowing she went to Xavier, it makes me sad that one of us, had to go through that situation," said Hassell.

Dr Scharf says often times in such cases, the person in the home may think that an intruder is trying to get in. When that person moves, police seek motion, and react to motion, which can often have deadly results.

*An attorney close to the case says Jefferson was playing video games with her eight-year-old nephew at the time of the shooting.
Xavier students react to the loss of recent graduate in Fort Worth Police shooting
*Breaking my heart for little nephew. How one split moment decision can trickle the stream of lives.

 

[kaen]

I wonder if he will receive any pension or benefits? With only 1.5 years on the force it’s probably nothing substantial. But still.

When I worked in a school system, if you were vested (after x time and contributing x dollars) you got what you put in and the system put in even if you were fired as opposed to quit.

 

[Artis]

I don't think he shot her because she was black; I think he, at least, was perhaps predisposed to think of the neighborhood as "dangerous," "sketchy," and whatever else he may have told himself about a black neighborhood. Some of those implicit biases are so ingrained that unless we white people receive training they will never go away. And even then, it requires a conscious effort, every single day. My own experience/understanding of implicit bias.

Well, I don't see that as bias but data. If it was a bad neighborhood (high crime), it would matter in terms of any call being higher risk. However, this seems about the same as the white 70 yr old man they killed in his own garage. IOW, trigger happy cops gone wild.

 

[kaen]

I am relieved that this man resigned/was discharged dishonorably. I look forward to the level of charges that are announced tomorrow, hoping for maximum charges.

I do think it is important to not that this officer was also a product of a system that trains them to shoot first and shoot to kill. It is so clear that the training failed this man. He responded to a welfare check in this way with another officer who didn't correct him or stop him from going to the backyard through the gate and past 2 open doors.

I have relatives on the job are dumbfounded about the Botham Jean shooting and this one. While I think Ms. Jefferson may get some measure of justice (but can't get her life back), there are systemic issues that need to be addressed immediately before other citizens are murdered by poorly trained police officers.

 

[Artis]

He will still be "dishonorably discharged" according to the Chief. Whatever that entails.

A black mark on his resume which he won't be needing in prison.

 

[kaen]

Well, I don't see that as bias but data. If it was a bad neighborhood (high crime), it would matter in terms of any call being higher risk. However, this seems about the same as the white 70 yr old man they killed in his own garage. IOW, trigger happy cops gone wild.

These are their sectors that they are patrolling. They should know the neighborhood. And, it was a welfare check on a home with lights on and doors open. This is a major training and policing failure. I agree about this seeming to be a "shoot first and ask later what the citizen needs" and it is appalling.

 

[TristanP]

I’m just popping in to say I’m still full of rage about this shooting.

It’s probably good I’m not in TX because a cop might see me feeling angry and perceive me as a threat.

 

[sds71]

He’s been booked and arrested for murder

Allison Harris (@AllisonFox4News) on Twitter
Fort Worth police officer who just resigned has been arrested for murder after shooting

 

[TexLil]

FOX 4 NEWS on Twitter

BREAKING: Now-fired Fort Worth Police Officer Aaron Dean has been booked into jail and charged with murder. A mugshot has not been released yet. Fort Worth officer who fatally shot Atatiana Jefferson in her home has resigned FOX 4 NEWS on Twitter


NOTE: Not sure why the above tweet from Fox News says "fired". He resigned. Either way very glad justice is starting. MOO

 

[MsFacetious]

YES.

 

[grammieto5]

Omg, me too. Life can be peculiarly ominous. I had just finished talking to my granddaughter about her block enrollment for 7th grade next year. She said she wanted to play the tuba. I told her I played the flute in the marching band and great grandma played the bells and xylophone. I hadn’t thought about that since 1968. Then I see that photo of Atatiana. Whew. Breathe in. Breathe out. Wow. Any of y’all sometimes get triggered with certain cases?

Yes, sometimes those triggers are so hard to deal with.

 

[jjenny]

Well, I don't see that as bias but data. If it was a bad neighborhood (high crime), it would matter in terms of any call being higher risk. However, this seems about the same as the white 70 yr old man they killed in his own garage. IOW, trigger happy cops gone wild.

Or Justine Damond who was killed while in her pajamas because she went to approach a police car.

 

[MsFacetious]

Nikkolas Smith

 

[imstilla.grandma]

When I worked in a school system, if you were vested (after x time and contributing x dollars) you got what you put in and the system put in even if you were fired as opposed to quit.

I’ve worked a life career of Civil Service for my state. After at least eight years of accumulated service credit (including six full years of full time equivalent employment):we are eligible for a lifetime monthly retirement benefit as vested employees. Signed: State Retiree ~ Me.

 

[TexLil]

Here is his booking photo.

 

[kaen]

He’s been booked and arrested for murder

Allison Harris (@AllisonFox4News) on Twitter
Fort Worth police officer who just resigned has been arrested for murder after shooting

Faster than I had anticipated. Justice and peace for Ms. Jefferson and her family, especially her nephew, Zion.

 

[MsFacetious]

Faster than I had anticipated. Justice and peace for Ms. Jefferson and her family, especially her nephew, Zion.

I don't think they felt they had the option to wait.

Shaun King on Twitter

 

[Cool Cats]

These are there sectors that they are patrolling. They should know the neighborhood. And, it was a welfare check on a home with lights on and doors open. This is a major training and policing failure. I agree about this seeming to be a "shoot first and ask later what the citizen needs" and it is appalling.

Actually, for reasons not disclosed, the neighbor's call for a welfare check turned into a whole different ball of wax.
1.) Welfare Check
2.) Open Structure Call
3.) Burglary

Burglary call or welfare check? Police records don't match in Atatiana Jefferson killing

Burglary call or welfare check? Police records don't match in Atatiana Jefferson killing

Although a statement from the Fort Worth Police Department referred to it as an "open structure" call, the police call sheet from Saturday lists it as a burglary call, despite a lack of evidence that there was ever any reason to believe a burglary had taken place. Fort Worth police have not clarified this matter.

When Jefferson's neighbor, James Smith, called the police nonemergency line because he saw Jefferson's door open after 2 a.m., police seemed to respond as if they assumed they were responding to a burglary, although Smith gave no indication of such activity on the call.

Here's the analysis from Mike Benza, a law instructor at Case Western Reserve University who specializes in Fourth Amendment issues. From the Star-Telegram:

"It's difficult to imagine that the officer goes sneaking around a house on a welfare check. It's hard to justify that based on what the neighbor said. This was not a 911 call; the neighbor said he called the non-emergency line. So this officer seems to be handling it more of a breaking and entering with a suspect versus a 'my neighbor's door is open' call."

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Fort Worth officer jailed on murder charge after fatally shooting Atatiana Jefferson