Producer Sentenced, No New Trial Yet For Cop In Aiyana Jones Case
DETROIT (WWJ) - A former TV producer was sentenced in Wayne County, Thursday, in connection with the taping of the 2010 Detroit police raid that ended with the death of 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones.
Allison Howard, a videographer filming the raid for the A&E reality show "The First 48," was accused of lying about trying to sell footage shot on the night Aiyana was killed.
Howard pleaded no contest to obstructing justice during the investigation. The Wayne County prosecutor's office said a perjury charge against Howard was dismissed, and she will serve one-and-a-half to two years probation in Massachusetts.
Meantime, it could be months before another trial is held in the case of the Detroit police officer who admitted he accidentally killed Aiyana.
Officer Joseph Weekly is charged with manslaughter for firing of the bullet, but says the now-dead girl's grandmother knocked or grabbed his gun, letting loose the fatal bullet.
A jury last month heard eight days of testimony and deliberated for two days before a mistrial was declared.
A hearing Thursday to determine a new trial date was moved to Aug. 21 before Circuit Judge Cynthia Hathaway, who said she wants to have a second trial before the end of the year.
Weekley, who still serves on the city's police force, was indicted by a grand jury in October 2011 after a year-long investigation.
After Aiyana's death, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing banned reality TV crews from going out with police.
[Catch up on the case HERE].
