Aiyana Jones

[Love As Arson]

Detroit, a funeral will be held Saturday for Aiyana Jones, the seven-year-old girl who was shot dead by police while she was sleeping in her own home. On Tuesday, a lawyer for Jones’ family filed a pair of lawsuits against the Detroit police for the killing that’s sparked outrage in the Motor City.
Shortly after midnight Sunday, police raided the family’s home, looking for a murder suspect, they said. The raid began when police threw an incendiary device known as a flash-bang grenade through a front window of the home. The device reportedly burned the little seven-year-old. She was sleeping on the couch.
What happened next is in dispute. Detroit police say the police then entered the home and the girl was shot after Officer Joseph Weekley’s gun accidentally went off following a tussle with Aiyana’s grandmother. But the family’s attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, says he’s seen video contradicting the police account of the killing. Fieger says video of the incident shows police opened fire before they had entered the house. A bullet from the gun pierced Aiyana’s head and neck.
On the night of the raid the Detroit police officers were accompanied by a film crew from the reality TV show The First 48. The show’s network, A&E, has yet to publicly release the video shot of the raid.
Meanwhile, the Detroit News has revealed the officer involved in the shooting, Joseph Weekley, was accused in a 2009 federal lawsuit of being part of a team that broke into a home, shot two dogs, and pointed a pistol at children, including an infant.

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/5/19/family_of_slain_7_year_old

[Mandee, darling]

So they purposely shot around without looking? Wtf.

[saysmydoctor]

It's Detroit.

[loveisdead]

That's really fucking sad.

[mattmatumbo]

We really need to make college a requirement to get a badge and gun in this country.

[open mind]

We really need to make college a requirement to get a badge and gun in this country.

i don't know if college would really eliminate the irresponsible asshole on a power trip factor.

[Max_123]

well this is a mess all around

[Nick Le]

That's so depressing.

[mattmatumbo]

i don't know if college would really eliminate the irresponsible asshole on a power trip factor.

No, it wouldn't. It may help a bit in facilitating the idea of kids and guns don't mix though.

[open mind]

No, it wouldn't. It may help a bit in facilitating the idea of kids and guns don't mix though.

that doesn't have anything to do with this incident. the cop in question has been on the force for 14 years.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100519/NEWS01/100519012/Details-on-Officer-Joseph-Weekley

[mattmatumbo]

that doesn't have anything to do with this incident. the cop in question has been on the force for 14 years.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100519/NEWS01/100519012/Details-on-Officer-Joseph-Weekley

I was mainly speaking out of irrational ignorance from frustration i felt from reading about this.

[caveBEAR]

Stick the motherfucker in a locked room with the family for an hour. Ask no questions about what happens in said room. Maybe even give the family some guns and flash grenades.

Sad thing is, that still wouldn't bring back the little girl. Shit like this makes me physically sick.

[Roboman]

I bet this Weekley guy is reeaaalllly hating A&E right now...

[Lueda Alia]

Oh my God. That made my stomach turn. I can't wrap my mind around this at all.

[LoginBanned]

I'll reserve judgement until this video comes out. Truth is Detroit is the old West in some parts. These cops put their lives on the line everyday moreso than most Police Departments. Not saying this was right, not saying it's not tragic.

Locally there has been so many conflicting reports when it comes to this story. Some folks say the cops were stakeing the place out and knew there was a little girl living there which would indicate gross neglicence, other reports are saying her parents were knowingly harboring someone wanted for murder which would make the parents just as responsible for putting their daughter in that type of situation.

Everything Fieger does stinks of something shady. He watched the video tape in his office but wasn't able to get his hands on a copy, very fishy especially as one of the top lawyers in the Country you would think he'd get that taken care of especially if he had a physical copy in his office.

I'm not excusing what happened or how the cop acted, i'm just not willing to jump on a guy who works in a virtual war zone all day without knowing the full story.

[DrStrong]

Geez, this probably wont be shown on The First 48.

[Love As Arson]

I'm not excusing what happened or how the cop acted, i'm just not willing to jump on a guy who works in a virtual war zone all day without knowing the full story.

I think the fact that it is conceived of as a war zone is the problem. All of a sudden, these people are no longer individuals that need to be protected, but insurgents or potential threats that should be dealt with harshly.

[mattmatumbo]

I think the fact that it is conceived of as a war zone is the problem. All of a sudden, these people are no longer individuals that need to be protected, but insurgents or potential threats that should be dealt with harshly.

The fact that Malcolm X is your avatar makes me respect you on some very deep levels.

Also, QFT

[LoginBanned]

I think the fact that it is conceived of as a war zone is the problem. All of a sudden, these people are no longer individuals that need to be protected, but insurgents or potential threats that should be dealt with harshly.

I think the fact that parts of Detroit is a Warzone is the problem, the fact that the parents knew a murder suspect was living upstairs putting their young daughter in danger is the problem, the fact the police shot first and asked questions later is the problem, the fact that A & E was filming all of this for a reality show is the problem.