Jurors failed to reach a verdict in an involuntary manslaughter case in Detroit.
Joseph Weekley, a police officer, stands accused of fatally shooting seven-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones. The legal definition of involuntary manslaughter, a felony, can vary from one jurisdiction to another. However, manslaughter generally refers to accidental deaths.
Prosecutors accuse Weekly of handling his gun in a negligent manner during the filming of an episode of The First 48, a reality-style police show. The video footage of this particular episode became part of the evidence in this case.
Weekly’s legal troubles are far from over.
"The Wayne County prosecutor's office is prepared to proceed with the case," Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement to the Associated Press.
Warren Evans, the Police Chief at the time of the shooting, told the family "I will never be able to put myself in your shoes” in a statement on MSN news.
Prosecutors charged Allison Howard, a member of the filming crew, with perjury and withholding video evidence in the case.