WATCH Aaron Dean Murder Trial at Atatiana Jefferson LIVE

A former police officer is on trial for shooting and killing a black woman at her mother’s home in October 2019. The question before the jury is whether she’s charged Aaron Deans acts constituted murder. Authorities said victims Atatiana Jefferson28, was at home with her mother playing video games with her nephew when Dean, then a Fort Worth police officer, conducted a botched welfare check.

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Aaron Dean booking photo and Atatiana Jefferson’s funeral.

JamesSmithwas the neighbor of the homeowner Yolanda Carrhe said BBC in a 2020 report that he called the police to conduct a social check after his niece and nephew saw their house lights on and the front door ajar early in the morning on October 12, 2019. He found it odd that Carr’s lawn mower and garden tools were plugged in. This was not an emergency call. Smith said he expects an officer to just knock on the door and see if their neighbor is okay. Little did he know that Carr was in the hospital with her heart condition. Instead, Carr’s 8-year-old grandson and daughter Atatiana played video games.

As seen in Dean’s bodycam footage, he checked an open door and walked along the side of the lighted house. Eventually he stepped through a gate that led to a backyard. He pointed his gun at a window.

“Hands up,” he shouted. “Show me your hands.”

He opened fire and killed Jefferson, who was inside.

Smith was among those who mourned Jefferson’s loss. He said the police overreacted.

“She wanted to be a doctor,” Smith said. “But that won’t happen now.”

dean left the department two days after the shootingalthough interim police chief Ed Kraus said he fired him for violating policies including Use of force, de-escalation and unprofessional behavior.

[Mugshot of Aaron Dean via Tarrant County Jail; Atatiana Jefferson’s funeral via Stewart F. House/Getty Images]

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