FORT WORTH, Texas — Shouts erupted outside a Tarrant County courtroom Thursday as activists and community leaders decried that a former Fort Worth officer found guilty of manslaughter wouldn’t face a more serious conviction for fatally shooting Atatiana Jefferson in 2019.
Some residents, however, saw the conviction as a small, but meaningful, step toward police accountability — and celebrated that Aaron Dean, 38, wouldn’t walk free. Dean faces up to 20 years in prison. The jury rejected a murder charge, which carries a sentence of up to life in prison.
“This is a first,” said Lesa Pamplin, an attorney and friend of the Jefferson family. “I’m glad (after) everybody talked about the makeup of the jury, that these folks gave a good, hard look at the evidence and they didn’t rush it. I’m happy, not pleased, but I’m happy they got the manslaughter charge.”
