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Title: Detroit Police Chief Addresses Child's Death; Fieger Files Two Lawsuits Against Police
Source:
WDIV
URL Source: http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/23592538/detail.html
Published: May 18, 2010
Author: WDIV
Post Date: 2010-05-18 17:16:33 by Brian S
Keywords: None
Views: 398
Comments: 2
DETROIT -- Detroit police Chief Warren Evans released a statement Tuesday that said he was extremely sorry for the family of a 7-year-old girl who was allegedly shot by an officer during a raid Sunday. He also said the department "has its own painful self-examination to undergo." Evans added that the findings of a state police investigation into Sunday morning's death of Aiyana Jones "won't be pretty, but they will be honest." To read the full statement, click here. Aiyana was shot in the living room of her home. Police have said the officer's gun discharged after an altercation or collision inside the house with the girl's grandmother. But the family's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, filed a lawsuit Tuesday filed a wrongful death lawsuit Tuesday, accusing police of violating the victim's constitutional rights during the weekend raid that resulted in the girl's death. Fieger also filed a separate lawsuit against the police department on behalf of the girl's grandmother, who police said was involved in an altercation with police moments before a bullet pierced Aiyana Jones' neck. Download: Fieger Files Lawsuit Against DPD Fieger's account of the shooting negates the police department's account of what happened during the execution of a murder warrant at a home on Lillibridge Street at 12:50 a.m. Watch: Assistant Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee said investigators had a search warrant for the victim's uncle, in connection with the slaying of a 17-year-old outside a liquor store on Mack Avenue Friday. Godbee said nearly 20 officers arrived at the home and a smoke bomb was thrown in to distract the occupants, and then the first officer entered the home. Once inside, Godbee said the first officer was met by Jones' grandmother, Mertilla Jones. Investigators said Mertilla Jones struggled with the officer in the front room, just feet from where Aiyana Jones slept on the couch. "Exactly what happened next is a matter still under investigation, but it appears the officer and the woman had some level of physical contact," Godbee said. The officer's gun went off, striking 7-year-old Jones in the neck and killing her, said police. Mertilla Jones was arrested, drug tested and released the next day. Fieger said a police cover up that points to the alleged altercation with the grandmother was fabricated after the girl's death to mask the truth. He said he has seen a videotape that depicts the events of the night. Interview: Fieger: Video Disproves DPD's Facts In Shooting Case Fieger would not reveal who showed him and members of his staff the video, but he said a person who was authorized to be with the police and film the raid contacted him Sunday and showed him the video. The crew for the A&E series "The First 48" was with police, but he would not confirm if the tape came from the reality TV series. Godbee also said the police department has asked for footage shot by "The First 48" crew, which has been in Detroit for several months while shadowing homicide investigators on a nearly daily basis. Neither Godbee nor A&E would say whether that request was granted. "The assistant chief claims the shooting was a result of an altercation between Mertilla and an armed officer: That's false!" said Fieger at a news conference Tuesday. The victim's family joined Fieger, including Mertilla Jones, the girl's mother, father, cousin and aunt. Watch: Family Speaks Out In Death Of 7-Year-Old The girl's cousin, Mark Robinson, said he was in front of the home when police arrived. He said that they grabbed him and threw him to the ground and put their shoes on his neck and back. He said he tried warning them that there were children inside of the home, but they entered the home aggressively anyway. Fieger said that police fired a "flash grenade" through a plate glass window and then simultaneously or, moments later fired a shot. He said the child, who was sharing the couch with her grandmother, was burned by the grenade first, and then seconds later she was shot. Fieger said the burn is evident by the girl's burned blanket. The family has requested that Macomb County Medical Examiner Mark Spitz do an autopsy on the child's body. "Aiyana Jones did not die immediately, and instead suffered great conscious pain and suffering," the lawsuit states. The family claimed that once the police realized the mistake they had made, they quickly tried to cover it up. "The videotape clearly shows Aiyana being carried out like a rag doll and carried into a car," said Fieger. The family said officers kept them back and would not allow them to see the child. "They messed up and they know they done messed up. I never struggled with a Detroit police officer. I stayed on the floor with my son. They wouldn't even let us check on her," said Mertilla Jones. Watch: Mertilla Jones said she was treated like a felon moments after she witnessed the death of her granddaughter. "What type of people? You can’t trust the police," she repeated. "They wouldn’t even let us go check on the other babies, and when I see you all killed my grandbaby, you all know you (expletive) up and one of them said, '(expletive), and grabbed the baby,'" said Mertilla Jones. Fieger claims that the police had a search warrant to look through the home for a 34-year-old man wanted in connection with last week's shooting, but it was the wrong address. He said the man police were looking for was Aiyana Jones's aunt's fiancé, who lives in the upper level of the duplex, address 4056 Lillibridge, but their warrant was for 4054 Lillibridge. Fieger said that he was told that an officer at the scene realized that the warrant was for the wrong home, so they quickly went and got a legitimate warrant after the initial raid. Police said they had warrants to search both units, and family members of the slain girl were seen going in and out of both on Monday Fieger pleaded with officers and city officials to come forward and talk about what they saw that evening. "Mayor Bing, Police Chief Evans, I am asking you on behalf on this family and the officers on the scene to come forward and tell the truth. I saw the video. You all know what happened. Please don’t let this child die in vain," said Fieger. "I'm not here to defend the police department. I don't know all the elements, but I don't want to point fingers at anybody right now," said Detroit Mayor Dave Bing Monday. "You have 15 officers that know what happened and I hope that tape doesn't disappear," Fieger added. Godbee had said Monday that officials were in the process of acquiring the footage and he wasn't sure how Fieger saw the video. "If Mr. Fieger has access to anything that would be evidence in this case, he should, as an officer of the court, get it immediately to the Michigan State Police, which will be investigating," Godbee had said in a statement. The case has been handed over to the Michigan State Police to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said. Police have not identified the officer whose gun fired the shot that killed Aiyana Jones. Godbee said he is a 14-year veteran with six to seven years on the Special Response Team and that he has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. "This is a tragedy of unspeakable magnitude to Aiyana's parents, family and all those who loved her," Godbee said. "Again, our deepest and most heartfelt condolences go out to them."
RAW: Fieger Recounts His Version Of Shooting
Watch:Detroit Police: MSP Will Investigate Shooting Case
Watch:Family Attorney, Detroit Police Don't Agree On Case Facts
Watch: Father: Detroit Police Killed My Baby
Watch: Candlelight Vigil Held For Slain GirlRAW: Slain 7-Year-Old's Grandmother Speaks
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#1. To: Brian S (#0)
Was he there? Fookin sleazebag, ambulance chasing, courtroom fellator. Sneakypete, have you ever been married? Said things you later regretted?
The cops had a good initial story, I bought it completely. But now I think we'll never know what actually happened. As usual, liars on both sides.
reaganisright to murron: I'm sorry to see you go, you and liberator are about the only two girls I could tolerate.
Fieger Recounts His Version Of Shooting
#2. To: Brian S (#0)
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