In 2010, 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones was fatally shot during a raid by Detroit police officers. Nine years later, an $8.25 million settlement has been reached, Detroit Free Press reports. At the time of the raid, Stanley-Jones was asleep on a couch when a round from Officer Joseph Weekley’s gun struck the child in the head. The settlement provides a sense of closure for the girl’s family.
“Nothing is going to bring Aiyana back,” Attorney Geoffrey Fieger who represents Stanley-Jones’ family said. “It allows the family to have some closure.” In addition to bringing healing to her family, their community can also feel at ease with this news.
“Aiyana’s death was a tragic loss for her family and has been a heavy burden on our community,” Detroit Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia said in a statement. “We believe (the) settlement is fair because it balances the needs of Aiyana’s family and our responsibility for the city’s finances. We hope this resolution will provide everyone involved a measure of closure.”
The settlement has yet to be approved by City Council, however, a civil trial is set for Monday (April 8) in Wayne County Circuit Court. Weekley was charged twice for the incident in which Detroit police were searching for Stanley-Jones father, Charles Jones. He was later convicted of second-degree murder. Both trials resulted in hung juries.
