Attorneys representing Aaron Dean, the convicted former Fort Worth police officer, have been given access to jury information that will allow them to investigate the jury that found him guilty last month of manslaughter in the death of Atatiana Jefferson in the October 2019.
According to a court document filed Thursday by Dean’s attorney, Robert Gill, and obtained by NBC 5, the defense is seeking personal information about the juror, including contact information, to determine whether one of them posted an online message about the request. of opinions on the process . it was still in operation.
Defense attorneys said they obtained a copy of the social media post allegedly posted by one of the jurors and offered it for the record as the jury deliberated on Dean’s punishment.
The defense said that the social media post was “seeking opinions and information from people outside the jury” and that “if this social media post is attributable to any of the jurors in this case and the jury has received information, the defendant would have the right to a new trial”.
Dean’s attorneys also suggested that the unconventional jury verdict in the case could also be the result of misconduct.
Sentence against Aaron Dean after Atatiana Jefferson’s death in 2019 was read on Tuesday afternoon
The former officer had been charged with murder, but a jury of eight men and six women chose to convict him on the lesser charge of manslaughter and sentenced him to 11 years, 10 months and 12 days in prison, a term of Unusual time that prosecutors and family members speculated it may have been a symbol of her grandson’s age at the time of his murder and the month and date of his death.
Judge George Gallagher, who presided over both the trial and sentencing, granted the defense counsel’s request on Jan. 5, with the proviso that the jury’s information be destroyed after they are contacted.
On Friday afternoon, a spokesperson for the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office told NBC 5 he was aware of the charge of possible jury misconduct and said it was handled by the presiding judge.
Earlier this week, Gallagher agreed to waive any retribution against Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and Fort Worth Councilman Chris Nettles for possible violations of an ongoing gag order during his trial. According to Gallagher, both Parker and Nettles, who were sworn in as witnesses in the case, apologized for public statements made before the conclusion of the trial.
