Detroit Cop Says 7-Year-Old Shot After No Struggle
A Detroit cop testified in court Tuesday that a police raid that left a young girl dead happened after no struggle. This is a contradiction against the testimony made by an officer who stands accused of shooting and killing a 7-year-old girl during the raid.
Officer Shawn Stallard was present during the 2010 police raid on a Detroit home. The raid’s objective was to apprehend a suspected murderer. Stallard explained to the court that during the raid he was an arm’s length behind Officer Joseph Weekley and that Weekley shot his gun without a struggle.
Weekley has been identified as opening fire during the raid, fatally shooting 7-year-old Aiyana Stanely-Jones, who was sitting on a couch in the living room at the time.
In court, Detroit cop Joseph Weekley has repeatedly asserted that the gun discharge was accidental. Weekley claims that grandmother Mertilla Jones grabbed his submachine gun after entering the home, forcing him to fire his gun against his will.
Monday Mertilla Jones testified in court, giving a very different account of the events. Jones explained that after officers detonated a flash bang grenade into the home, she was on the ground and did not grab Officer Weekley’s gun at any point.
Tuesday’s testimony from Officer Shawn Stallard further erodes Weekley’s story. Upon thorough cross examination, Stallard repeatedly stated that no one in the home attempted to take Weekley nor was there any struggle.
Stallard explained that Detroit cops are trained to handle such a situation without accidental discharge and to maintain control of their weapon safely without firing it.
Several other police officers involved with the raid have testified to Weekley’s immediate panic after the shooting. They quoted Weekley, who they said stated, over and over, that “she grabbed my gun” and “why did she hit my gun?” after finding the girl dead.
This week the trial of Detroit cop Weekley continues, but, following Officer Stallard’s testimony, it is appearing less likely he will be ruled not guilty in the charges of involuntary manslaughter of 7-year-old Aiyana Stanely-Jones.
[Image via ShutterStock]
