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Jury deadlocked over fatal shooting by Detroit cop

By WTOP Staff

COREY WILLIAMS
Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — Jurors were deadlocked and a judge declared a mistrial Friday for a Detroit police officer charged with recklessly handling his gun and killing a 7-year-old girl — the second time a verdict couldn’t be reached in the case.

The developments came after jurors indicated they were struggling to reach a unanimous decision in the case against Joseph Weekley, and Wayne County Circuit Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway urged them to work out their differences. Weekley’s first trial ended without a verdict in June 2013.

Hathaway said Friday that jurors gave her a note saying they were “hopelessly deadlocked.”

Seven of the 12 jurors voted to acquit Weekley of recklessly using a firearm, a misdemeanor carrying a maximum punishment of two years in prison. It was the only count remaining after Hathaway last week dismissed a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter against Weekley in the death of Aiyana Stanley-Jones.

“There has not been one single day that has gone by since that day where I have not thought about the loss of Aiyana, and I will be haunted by the tragedy for the rest of my life,” Weekley said in a statement to radio station WWJ on Friday before the mistrial was declared. “No family ever deserves to lose a child, and I have nothing but sympathy for the family of Aiyana Jones.”

A decision about a third trial will be disclosed in court on Nov. 21, the prosecutor’s office said.

“I don’t understand how we can go through this again and have all this evidence brought forth and there not be a verdict either way,” the girl’s uncle, Londell Fields, told reporters after the mistrial. “I don’t think it’s fair because he’s a police officer that he gets to get away with this again. That’s wrong to me.”

The family has filed a civil lawsuit against the Police Department.

“This was an emotional case. There were tears in this room,” the jury foreman said. The judge wouldn’t allow the man — a minister — and other jurors to have their names used by news reporters.

Aiyana was shot in the head while she slept on a couch in May 2010. Weekley, a member of an elite police unit, was the first officer through the door of the home during a chaotic search for a murder suspect.

Weekley’s submachine gun fired seconds after a stun grenade was thrown through a window to confuse anyone inside. He didn’t testify but has insisted that he mistakenly pulled the trigger during a struggle with Mertilla Jones, the girl’s grandmother.

Police at the scene were accompanied by a camera crew from a TV reality show, “The First 48.” The midnight raid was recorded from the outside, not the inside where Aiyana was shot.

A prosecutor told jurors the story about a struggle with the grandmother was a lie intended to cover up Weekley’s carelessness.

“His training says, keep your finger off the trigger. … All he had to do is follow his training and we wouldn’t be here,” prosecutor Rob Moran said Tuesday.

The grandmother denied interfering with Weekley. Defense attorney Steve Fishman urged the jury to disregard the grandmother’s testimony, though, especially after she said she believed Aiyana was intentionally killed.

“No amount of training, no number of missions eliminates the possibility that something can happen,” Fishman said in his closing argument.

___

Associated Press writer Ed White contributed to this report.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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