Trial Magazine

Detroit Special Response Team officer Joseph Weekley and other Detroit police officers arrived at the home of Aiyana Stanley-Jones, 7. The officers, who were looking for a murder suspect who lived in an adjoining unit of Stanley-Jones’s duplex, were accompanied by a crew filming a reality TV show. The officers threw a stun grenade into Stanley-Jones’s home. Weekley then entered the home holding a ballistic shield and a submachine gun, which fired and struck Stanley-Jones in the head. She was taken to a local hospital but died within the hour. Stanley-Jones is survived by her parents, six siblings, and three grandparents.

Stanley-Jones’s estate sued the city of Detroit, alleging gross negligence, assault and battery, willful and wanton misconduct, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Among other things, the plaintiff argued that Weekley had no justification for firing his weapon because the grenade had prevented movement by everyone in the home. Suit also alleged that he failed to maintain control of his weapon.

The defense asserted that the shooting was accidental and resulted from a struggle with the child’s grandmother inside the home.

The parties settled for $8.25 million.

Citation: Stanley-Jones v. Roe, No. 10-005660-NO (Mich. Cir. Ct. Wayne Cnty. Apr. 4, 2019).

Plaintiff counsel: AAJ member Geoffrey N. Fieger, Southfield, Mich.

Plaintiff experts: W. Ken Katsaris, police practices, Tallahassee, Fla.; Brett Sojda, firearms, Northville, Mich.; David Balash, police practices and procedures, Clinton Township, Mich.; and Michael Thomson, economics, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Defense experts: Carl Schmidt, pathology, Detroit; and Steven Watt, police practices and procedures, Ogden, Utah.