Voice of Detroit Covered this event here:
https://voiceofdetroit.net/2022/08/02/group-wants-dpd-cop-dewayne-jones-fired-for-2018-beating-of-distressed-woman-sheldy-smith-in-er/
When: Hearing at 1:30 PM News Conference 1:00 PM to 1:45 PM Tuesday September 6th.
Where: 36th District Court building 421 Madison Street. Detroit, MI 48226.
Trial: Court room” of Honorable E. Lynise Bryant. “Trial” for Case No. 1806106901. Dewayne Berran Jones. Assault and battery case.
Why now? Dewayne Jones’ trial is scheduled for 1:30 PM Tuesday. (Also on the 7th 8th and 9th at 10:30 AM)
Detroit, MI –Members of Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight (DRACO) and other prominent community members have scheduled a News Conference for 1:00 AM to 1:45 PM so tey can comment on the potential outcome of the trial, and to stimulate community awareness of the ongoing case. They will also speak to the need to revise use-of-force training and remove loopholes in the DPD contract that usurps the authority of the Board of Police Commissioners.
On August 10th Judge E. Lynise Bryant granted defense requests to deny comments from emergency room staff on acceptable restraint. “Some of us are concerned that people with expertise on handling difficult patients won’t be heard. Hospital staff are trained in how to restrain patients without punching them or causing injury.” Said DRACO founder Scotty Boman. He went on to say, “This trial is heavily slanted in the defendant’s favor since the victim isn’t allowed to testify. He had that advantage before and was still convicted. Now he gets another bite of that apple.”
Jones was convicted of assault and battery in connection with the beating, but received a promotion to the rank of Sergeant by the Detroit Police Department. His penalty for the assault was probation, but he could still be tried for a felony misconduct charge because it was dismissed without prejudice on January 15th 2019. Activists are calling on Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy to reintroduce those charges given the large amount of video evidence that surfaced, and the fact that Jones still had a badge and a gun while on probation.
On April 21st 2021 Jones was granted a new trial.
The founder of DRACO is former District 4 Community Advisory Council Chairperson Scotty Boman. He said, “Dewayne Jones was able to get a promotion in spite of being a convicted violent criminal. In spite of the conviction he wasn’t held accountable. Now he is trying to be exonerated while his victim (Sheldy Smith) remains captive and isolated from her family. This isn’t justice.”
Diane Bukowski of Voice of Detroit posted this video:
Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight 