DALLAS — A jury has begun the sentencing phase Friday for former police officer Aaron Dean, one day after he was found guilty of manslaughter in the death of Atatiana Jefferson.
The same jury decided to convict Dean on Thursday for manslaughter as opposed to a harsher murder charge during roughly 13 hours of deliberations. Manslaughter is a second-degree felony, according to the Texas penal code. It's punishable by two to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
Dean and another officer responded to a nonemergency call to check on Jefferson's home around 2:30 a.m. because a door was left open to the house. Dean testified that he suspected a burglary was in progress due to the messiness inside the home when he peered through an open door. When Dean entered the backyard, body camera footage showed Dean looking into one of the windows of the home.
Jefferson grabbed her gun from her purse before approaching the window, Zion testified. Police officials have said Jefferson was within her rights to protect herself.
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