Atatiana Jefferson Killing: Ex-Texas Police Officer Gets Punishment for 2019 Manslaughter

Former Texas police officer Aaron Dean was sentenced to nearly 12 years in prison on Tuesday after he was found guilty of shooting Black woman Atatiana Jefferson inside her home while she was playing video games with her nephew.

According to CNN, the 38-year-old White former Fort Worth police officer was facing up to 20 years in prison for killing the 28-year-old Black woman before his sentencing.

Dean reportedly showed no emotion as the sentence was read. His total prison term is 11 years, 10 months, and 12 days. The former officer was convicted last Thursday, with the jury starting their deliberations on Monday.

Prosecutors had asked to give him 20 years in prison, adding that any less was a "travesty of justice." However, the defense asked for a suspended sentence and community supervision. They noted that he was only doing his job as a police officer and did not need rehabilitation.

What Happened in Atatiana Jefferson's Home on the Night of the Incident

Aaron Dean and his partner were called into Atatiana Jefferson's residence after a neighbor called a non-emergency police line to report that her doors were open.

Reports said they did not announce themselves as police officers when they arrived inside the house. Jefferson was still inside her bedroom when the police officers arrived, playing video games with her nephew. That was when Dean shot her from her bedroom window, leading to her death.

In the fallout from the incident, Dean was forced to resign from the force. He was also later arrested and charged with murder. Dean made a bond and had been out for around three years before he was sentenced.

His lawyers argued that he fired in self-defense because she pointed a gun at him and that he believed that the home was being burglarized because the doors were open and the place appeared to have been ransacked.

However, the prosecution argued that there was no evidence that Dean saw a gun in Jefferson's hand before he fired at her. Her then 8-year-old nephew, who was with Jefferson when she was shot, also testified that they heard noises outside, so her aunt took her gun to defend themselves but did not see her raise a gun to the window.

He also said he and his aunt were not aware that police had been called to the home. NBC News also reported that Dean's partner, Officer Carol Darch, testified that Dean never said the word "gun" or saw someone with a firearm before he shot Jefferson.

She noted that they thought they were at the scene of a burglary, so they did not announce themselves. Body camera footage showed that Dean did not reveal he was an officer when he shot the victim.

Aaron Dean Not Suitable to be a Police Officer, Psychologist Says

Kyle Clayton, who conducted a psychological evaluation for Aaron Dean, testified in court about his findings. He said the former officer "was not psychologically suitable to serve as a police officer" and that he "had a narcissistic personality style."

Clayton noted that would inhibit Dean from making correct judgments and be "more likely to engage in behaviors that could put himself and others at risk."

However, NBC News reported that the defense argued that Dean had to pass a psychological evaluation before even becoming a Fort Worth police officer and that evaluation had a panel of three other psychologists. The defense noted that these three would have been able to determine whether he was fit or not to join the force.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Jury Sends Ex-Cop Aaron Dean to Prison for More than 11 Years - From Law&Crime Network