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For Immediate Release
August 11, 2010 |
Contact: Nicole Triplett |
(Washington, D.C.) – House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) today announced that, at his request, the Justice Department has opened an FBI investigation into the shooting of seven-year old Aiyana Jones by a Detroit Police Department special response team.
"The shooting of Aiyana Jones has shaken the entire city community, and it demands a thorough, and independent investigation," Conyers said. "So I am pleased that the Justice Department is acting in this case. It is plain that something went very, very wrong in the Jones’ home last May 16, and this investigation will shed much needed light on these tragic events. I have been assured by the Justice Department that they will take a very careful look at this matter and that, if the facts warrant, they will be aggressive in responding. I appreciate this update and the Judiciary Committee will continue to closely monitor these events."
In a May 19, 2010, letter to Attorney General Holder, Conyers wrote:
"Tragedy came again to Detroit this weekend when seven year old Aiyana Jones was killed during an overnight police raid on her family home. According to press reports, Miss Jones was fatally shot by a member of the city police Special Response Team, who entered the home pursuant to a no-knock warrant and after tossing a ‘flash bang’ grenade through the window. Reports also assert that neighbors told the approaching police that children were in the home (apparently three children were present at the time of the raid), and that there were toys in the yard through which the SRT members approached. While a suspect was arrested that evening, it is not clear if the suspect was present in the Jones home or was located in the other, separate unit of the duplex building. I appreciate that the facts of this matter are still coming to light, and I do not prejudge the incident. However, with Detroit suffering through a disturbing wave of violence, it is imperative that we take all possible steps to calm the situation, reassure the community that their safety is a national priority, and lessen the chance of future bloodshed . . . Will the Department of Justice investigate the shooting of Aiyana Jones, looking at both the facts of the specific incident as well as the police practices and procedures that, at a minimum, failed to ensure Miss Jones’ safety? I understand that the Michigan State Police will be looking at the matter, but only the federal government has the resources, the expertise, and the independence to give this case the close scrutiny that the citizens of Detroit deserve. This is particularly appropriate and necessary given the longstanding federal oversight of the city police pursuant to the 2003 Use of Force consent decree."
On August, 5, 2010, the Justice Department responded:
"We have asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to conduct an investigation into the shooting incident. Once the investigation is complete, the FBI will forward the results that investigation for review by attorneys in the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division. The Criminal Section enforces the federal criminal civil rights statutes pertaining to incidents of official misconduct and violent bias-motivated crimes. Much of their enforcement activity relates to the investigation and prosecution of deprivations of civil rights under color of law. These matters generally involve allegations of excessive physical force by law enforcement officers."
You can find the Chairman’s complete letter to DOJ here and DOJ’s full response here.
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