Attorneys for former Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean, who last month was sentenced to nearly 12 years in prison for manslaughter, filed a motion Tuesday for a new trial.
“The defendant in this case should be granted a new a trial in this case because the verdict is contrary to the law and the evidence,” read the motion filed by attorney Bob Gill.
The motion is on the heels of Dean’s defense team calling for an investigation into jury misconduct, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
A juror reportedly made a social media post during the trial, which Dean’s defense attorney claimed “sought opinions and information from persons outside the jury,” according to a report.
Tarrant County Judge George Gallagher, according to court documents, granted the motion, paving the way for an investigation, although it is not clear whether an investigation into the matter has begun.
The defense had asked for the juror’s contact information in order to investigate how the jury came to their verdict.
The jury deliberated more than 13 hours before returning with a guilty verdict of manslaughter for the killing of Atatiana Jefferson in October 2019. Dean shot Jefferson through her home window after he saw a gun. A charge of murder was also on the table for the jury to consider.
Dean’s attorneys attempted to move the trial out of Tarrant County, claiming that the trial had too much media attention and that city officials from Fort Worth had spoken out against Dean prior to the trial.
The defense argued during the trial that Dean acted in self-defense. Dean’s attorneys filed an appeal almost immediately after the sentencing.
Dean is imprisoned in the W.F. Ramsey Unit in Rosharon, Texas.
He will not be eligible for parole until November 2028.
Crime in nearby Dallas remains high with a recent stabbing in Adam Bazaldua’s District 7.
The Dallas Express continues to report on crime through its Crime Boss series and will be a source of breaking crime news throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
