Story updated 12/7/22 at 5:20 p.m.
The prosecution has rested its case against former Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean.
Attorneys are asking the jury to decide whether Dean acted in self-defense when he shot and killed Atatiana Jefferson on October 12, 2019. Dean shot Jefferson through the window of her home on East Allen Avenue while responding to a call about her doors being open in the early morning hours.
Dean鈥檚 murder trial began Monday after multiple delays, first due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then requests from the defense. Jefferson鈥檚 nephew Zion Carr, who was 8 years old when he witnessed his aunt鈥檚 shooting, testified Monday that his aunt heard something outside and pulled her gun out of her purse.
From the other side of the window, Dean yelled for her to put her hands up and then shot less than a second later, body camera footage showed. He never announced himself as a police officer.
Once inside the house, Dean never took any steps to try and save Jefferson鈥檚 life, the prosecution said.
Deputy Medical Examiner Richard Fries, who performed Jefferson鈥檚 autopsy, testified Wednesday there wasn鈥檛 much Dean or paramedics on the scene could have done.
鈥淭hese are very devastating wounds. I would not expect somebody to survive them,鈥� Fries said.
Dean鈥檚 defense team argued this week that Dean shot Jefferson in self-defense. He could see the green targeting laser from her gun trained on him, his attorneys said.
Dean鈥檚 partner that night, Officer Carol Darch, testified Tuesday that Dean never warned her there was a gun before he shot. She also never saw Jefferson鈥檚 gun through the window, she said -- just her eyes, 鈥渁s big as saucers.鈥�
鈥淚s that burned in your memory?鈥� prosecutor Ashlea Deener asked.
鈥淵es ma鈥檃m,鈥� Darch said.
Dean鈥檚 defense team argued that Dean did the right thing by not announcing himself. After peeking through the house鈥檚 closed storm doors and seeing a mess, Dean and Darch thought the house could be in the middle of a robbery, Darch testified. Announcing themselves might have let a potential burglar get away.
The last witness jurors heard Wednesday was one of Jefferson's sisters, Ashley Carr. Carr told the court about Jefferson, an aspiring medical student, and looked at photos of her sister, capturing family life and the day of her college graduation.
There will be no proceedings for the rest of the week, Judge George Gallagher of the 396th District Court said. The trial will return 9 a.m. Monday.
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