FORT WORTH, Texas — Editor's note: The video published above is a one-on-one interview with Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes in March, where he speaks on the Aaron Dean trial and the death of Atatiana Jefferson.
Attorneys for Aaron Dean, the former Fort Worth police officer who shot and killed Atatiana Jefferson in October 2019, have filed an appeal to reverse the manslaughter conviction in December 2022.
The appeal was filed Tuesday in the 2nd Court of Appeals in Fort Worth.
Dean was sentenced to 11 years, 10 months, 12 days on Dec. 15, 2022. In January, Dean's defense team filed a new motion calling for a new trial. The January motion came after Dean’s defense called for an investigation into possible jury misconduct earlier that month.
Dean’s attorneys claimed a purported juror allegedly made a social media post during the trial, which “sought opinions and information from persons outside the jury.” Court documents showed that Tarrant County Judge George Gallagher granted that motion, though it's not clear what came of the investigation or if it started.
Another sticking point for Dean's team, which is also outlined as one of the four "points of error" in the appeal filed Thursday, was the failure to move the trial outside of Tarrant County for multiple reasons including "the media spotlight and city leaders sharing their opinions about Dean."
These are the four "points of error" detailed in the appeal filed Thursday by Dean's lawyers:
- The trial court reversibly erred by instructing the jury on the lesser included offense of manslaughter over Appellant’s objections.
- The trial court erred by not changing venue for the trial of the case because there was sufficient evidence developed of the existence of a dangerous combination of influential persons in Tarrant County.
- The trial court erred by not changing venue for the trial of the case because the State’s
controverting affidavits were insufficient as a matter of law.
The trial court erroneously employed the general definition of reasonable belief in Penal Code sec. 1.07(42) over Appellant’s objection when the court should have relied on the specific definition in Penal Code Chapter 9.
WFAA has spoken with both Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes and Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker following Dean's conviction. Here is a look at those conversations:
Dean is in prison at the W.F. Ramsey Unit in Rosharon, Texas. He’s eligible for parole on Nov. 28, 2028.
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