TX - Atatiana Jefferson, 28, fatally shot at home, Fort Worth, Oct 2019 *officer charged*

[Charlot123]

Once again, the problem is, Shoot First, Worry About Facts Later. ASSuming that something bad is going on, without considering the innocent alternative, that everything is perfectly fine.

Regardless of the certain justification(s) to come, as in the Amber G. case, there were alternatives. Some feel that his occupation choice gives him a pass, and these are the same people who probably give a pass to every cop that "accidentally" kills someone completely innocent.

I think the problem is, fear. A rookie cop. Night. "Open structure". He has no clue about AJ, and chances are, neither does the neighbor! Who knows about her sick mom only.

So these two rookie cops who arrived at her house, did not know what was behind that open door.

By law, you have to identify yourself as the police. But the cops probably were scared s..., and expected a blast of gunfire after the words, police...
So instead, they decided to prowl around. Which brought in a totally expected reaction from AJ.

Now they see a silhouette of a black woman with a gun. And this is where all rules go out of the window. The scared cop does not yell, police. He yells, hands up and immediately shoots, probably in mortal fear for his life.

Whose fault? A couple of elements, I think.

The neighbor somehow is at fault. Sorry, he is. Still. He is not observant enough by the day to see that another person, AJ, has moved in. He is very observant and scared at night, though.

Should AJ have introduced herself to the neighbor? Well, we don't know what his reputation is. Technically, I probably would have done it, but I know one guy (not exactly on my street, but close) who is so weird, no one would introduce himself or even approach him without a reason. Otherwise, he'd totally misuse the connection.

AJ is within her rights, in everything she does, she is the tenant of the house, an upstanding citizen.

The cops...both probably should have introduced themselves, or at least switched on police lights. (I don't know how this thing is called - a flashing police light? On top of that their cars).

There is also the element of copying peer's behavior. Dean is the second to arrive. He sees his peer prowling around. His decision is wrong, but not that unexpected given that another cop is already doing so.

But the rest, yelling, hands up, forgetting the word police, and immediately shooting, means, horrible fear. He was in mortal fear for own life. All wrong.

(Interestingly, I would like to see the results of MMPI testings of these cops that exacerbate the situation. I watched the video of Sandra Bland's arrest, and it was, facepalm, OMG!
How can one guy make so many psychological mistakes? (And they said he was not a racist, and had a good reputation). But if so, what else was wrong with him? )

 

[nrdsb4]

a totally expected reaction from AJ.



The neighbor somehow is at fault. Sorry, he is. Still. He is not observant enough by the day to see that another person, AJ, has moved in. He is very observant and scared at night, though.

What? Now it's the neighbor's responsibility to know who is allowed in a neighbor's home at all times?

He noticed that his elderly neighbor's door was open at 2:30 am, something that he has never observed before.

He could not have been reasonably expected to know that his request for a wellness check would be incorrectly relayed by dispatch.

He is not to blame for this tragedy.

 

[ilovewings]

What? Now it's the neighbor's responsibility to know who is allowed in a neighbor's home at all times?

He noticed that his elderly neighbor's door was open at 2:30 am, something that he has never observed before.

He could not have been reasonably expected to know that his request for a wellness check would be incorrectly relayed by dispatch.

He is not to blame for this tragedy.

I do not blame him for this tragedy: sadly though I think he blames himself---

 

[CSIDreamer]

I think the problem is, fear. A rookie cop. Night. "Open structure". He has no clue about AJ, and chances are, neither does the neighbor! Who knows about her sick mom only.

So these two rookie cops who arrived at her house, did not know what was behind that open door.

By law, you have to identify yourself as the police. But the cops probably were scared s..., and expected a blast of gunfire after the words, police...
So instead, they decided to prowl around. Which brought in a totally expected reaction from AJ.

Now they see a silhouette of a black woman with a gun. And this is where all rules go out of the window. The scared cop does not yell, police. He yells, hands up and immediately shoots, probably in mortal fear for his life.

Whose fault? A couple of elements, I think.

The neighbor somehow is at fault. Sorry, he is. Still. He is not observant enough by the day to see that another person, AJ, has moved in. He is very observant and scared at night, though.

Should AJ have introduced herself to the neighbor? Well, we don't know what his reputation is. Technically, I probably would have done it, but I know one guy (not exactly on my street, but close) who is so weird, no one would introduce himself or even approach him without a reason. Otherwise, he'd totally misuse the connection.

AJ is within her rights, in everything she does, she is the tenant of the house, an upstanding citizen.

The cops...both probably should have introduced themselves, or at least switched on police lights. (I don't know how this thing is called - a flashing police light? On top of that their cars).

There is also the element of copying peer's behavior. Dean is the second to arrive. He sees his peer prowling around. His decision is wrong, but not that unexpected given that another cop is already doing so.

But the rest, yelling, hands up, forgetting the word police, and immediately shooting, means, horrible fear. He was in mortal fear for own life. All wrong.

(Interestingly, I would like to see the results of MMPI testings of these cops that exacerbate the situation. I watched the video of Sandra Bland's arrest, and it was, facepalm, OMG!
How can one guy make so many psychological mistakes? (And they said he was not a racist, and had a good reputation). But if so, what else was wrong with him? )

No. The neighbor is absolutely not at fault. He noticed something out of the norm and reported it. Had the police done their job in *this* instance, all would be well. And AJ would rest easier at night knowing what a good neighbor she had. In normal calls, the police would much rather find nothing amiss.

 

[Charlot123]

No. The neighbor is absolutely not at fault. He noticed something out of the norm and reported it. Had the police done their job in *this* instance, all would be well. And AJ would rest easier at night knowing what a good neighbor she had. In normal calls, the police would much rather find nothing amiss.

I did not blame him either. But then I thought, he did not know that AJ moved in. They might have not been close, or he is a guy who never checked on his neighbor when she got ill. Anyhow, maybe you guys are right. I have to listen again to what he said to the dispatcher to understand.

 

[Momof4RN]

Imstilla.grandma,
I don't think we've crossed posts before, but I look forward to your use name now.

She is one busy lady! I can hardly keep up with one case at a time spending all day and grandma seems to be multi tasking everywhere! How do u do it?

 

[Momof4RN]

The quote below is snipped from the article. If the court found he had full authority, I'm guessing the mother's parental rights were legally terminated at some time. Either voluntarily or not. I honestly can't think of any other explanation.

"But Dallas County Judge Brenda Hull Thompson signed an order Friday saying that Marquis A. Jefferson, whom a death certificate filed to the court lists as Atatiana Jefferson's father, has full authority to make arrangements for her funeral and burial."

I wonder if it has to do more about the mom being ill. Reports keep making it sounds like she is quite ill. Moo

 

[Momof4RN]

I’m confused also. A retired Maverick player is paying 90% of her funeral.
And there is a go fund organized by Merrit.
Ex-Dallas Mavericks player Harrison Barnes helps pay for Atatiana Jefferson’s funeral

Well the GF is probably by Merrit for Merrit. IMO

 

[firebird]

I wonder if it has to do more about the mom being ill. Reports keep making it sounds like she is quite ill. Moo

Yeah. The second article I quoted made that slightly more clear. Still not sure why the reporter couldn't figure it out from the court papers and just say so tho lol

 

[grammieto5]

I pray Atatiana's family will put all their issues aside long enough to put this child to rest. I'm shocked her funeral was stopped

 

[grammieto5]

I wonder if it has to do more about the mom being ill. Reports keep making it sounds like she is quite ill. Moo

That's what I keep thinking. I'm wondering if the siblings just decided to take care of everything because the Dad was focused on the Mom??? I wonder why the Basketball players said they would pay for the funeral since there was a go-fund account set up, it seems right from the very beginning.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Opinion:
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OPINION: In tough times, reflection can help us make sense of tragedy

 

[MsFacetious]

That's what I keep thinking. I'm wondering if the siblings just decided to take care of everything because the Dad was focused on the Mom??? I wonder why the Basketball players said they would pay for the funeral since there was a go-fund account set up, it seems right from the very beginning.

I didn't get the impression Mom and Dad were still together? If they were that would make even less sense. Why did Atatiana move in to help with Mom if Dad was with her?

 

[kaen]

IMO as I read it in an earlier report this was a violent, high crime area. Nobody would be walking anywhere!
I think that's why the neighbor called police. He/she wasn't going anywhere near maybe danger!
I'm kind of curious why the front door was open at 2am in this kind of neighborhood.
I'm also curious why this young child wouldn't be sleeping in his bed?
When does everybody sleep in this high crime area?I

Not necessarily in response to you but in reponse in general.

It was a weekend (a Friday, IIRC). Grandma was again in hospital. The nephew's mom was at the hospital with grandma. Atatiana and her nephew were up late doing something they both loved to do together--playing video games. Might they have been waiting up for mom? I don't know. Many posters had mention the weather had been hot and muggy so the doors and windows may have been open for a breeze.

According to previously posted articles, the man who called (bless him for all his current heartache) had done so because he thought the grandmother (who had recently come home from hospital) was there on her own. I don't think he was as worried about crime only he stated he was rather worried that something was wrong with the grandmother based on her health issues.

I think it is important to make sure as we all talk about the area and the choices made by Atatiana, the neighbor, etc that we remember people operate in all different ways. The biggest issue is the cop who went around the back, gave a direction but fired his gun into a window after never having announced himself. If the neighborhood is dangerous, he was part of the problem and he killed Atatiana.

 

[MsFacetious]

The cops are supposed to make a dangerous neighborhood safer... not be the ones who kill the innocent lady in her house.

 

[nrdsb4]

It seems the father objected to the fund raising for a funeral when he had already made it clear that he had an insurance policy to cover her expenses, so the GF was not needed. That, and being elbowed out of the planning, apparently was the impetus for the decision to file the injunction.

Father of Atatiana Jefferson considering private funeral after taking legal action

As the reporter mentions, this is a sad situation in which 'no one wins."

 

[kaen]

This whole reporting on the family infighting seems like a second crime to me. Atatiana Jefferson lived this purposeful caring life--she was well thought of by her peers, coworkers and family. If there were family tensions/issues, she rose above them. Now, unfortunately, we are all party to the divisions that happen among many families which leads to speculation, accusations and recriminations where we lose sight of the person lost to a horrible crime.

I don't think the or any of the outside "counselors" matter one whit except to veil the tragedy behind salacious details. RIP Atatiana, I am sure you were a person who would have worked for good.

 

[grammieto5]

I didn't get the impression Mom and Dad were still together? If they were that would make even less sense. Why did Atatiana move in to help with Mom if Dad was with her?

OH Good question. I hadn't thought of that.

 

[nrdsb4]

OH Good question. I hadn't thought of that.

The parents are not together, from what I've gathered from the father's statements that he will be cordial to Yolanda Carr and family.

 

[Cardinal47]

Not necessarily in response to you but in reponse in general.

It was a weekend (a Friday, IIRC). Grandma was again in hospital. The nephew's mom was at the hospital with grandma. Atatiana and her nephew were up late doing something they both loved to do together--playing video games. Might they have been waiting up for mom? I don't know. Many posters had mention the weather had been hot and muggy so the doors and windows may have been open for a breeze.

According to previously posted articles, the man who called (bless him for all his current heartache) had done so because he thought the grandmother (who had recently come home from hospital) was there on her own. I don't think he was as worried about crime only he stated he was rather worried that something was wrong with the grandmother based on her health issues.

I think it is important to make sure as we all talk about the area and the choices made by Atatiana, the neighbor, etc that we remember people operate in all different ways. The biggest issue is the cop who went around the back, gave a direction but fired his gun into a window after never having announced himself. If the neighborhood is dangerous, he was part of the problem and he killed Atatiana.

Thank you for the kind response. I wasn't aware of all of that. I' m sure it was hard to sleep with family members in the hospital and others being with them.
They surely did not deserve what happened to them.