Dewayne Jones (Cop on video beating patient) Third Pretrial for Third Trial This

NEWS ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Scotty Boman, D.R.A.C.O. Founder (Event organizer)
Phone: (313) 247-2052 [Voice Only] Texting Phone: (313) 338-9769 [Text Only]
ScottyEducation@yahoo.com
Draco.Life

Ashley Smith, victim’s sister
Phone:  (254) 290-7303
justice4sheldy@gmail.com

Lory Parks, National Action Network
Phone: (313) 492-6774
February 24^th, 2023

Dewayne Jones (Cop on video beating patient) Third Pretrial for Third Trial This Friday

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When: Hearing at 9:10 AM News Conference 11:00 AM Friday February 24^th. 
Where: 36^th District Court building 421 Madison Street. Detroit, MI 48226.
Hearing: “Court room” of Honorable E. Lynise Bryant.
(There is a link to view the hearing remotely in the 36^th District Court website).
Third “Pre-trial Hearing” for Case No. 1806106901. Dewayne Berran Jones. Assault and battery case.
Why now? Dewayne Jones’ 3^nd pretrial hearing (for his third trial) is at 9:10 AM.

Detroit, MI – Sargent Dewayne B. Jones is scheduled to have a third trial. The first pretrial hearing, for this third trial, was on November 1^st 2022 but prosecuting attorney Joshua Holman asked for an extension. He said he wanted more time to discuss the potential of a third trial with the defense. The same thing happened again on December 20^th and the prosecutor gave the same reason.  Previously, a hung jury caused a mistrial on October 14^th. The first jury trial ended in a verdict of “Guilty” in the  August 1^st 2018 assault of emergency room patient and mother Sheldy Smith. Jones was a corporal at the time of the conviction. The second trial was granted in response to an appeal.

Members of Detroit Residents Advancing Civilian Oversight (DRACO), National Action Network, and others, Will hold a news conference outside the 36^th District Court, at 11:00 AM this Friday to give their reaction to the outcome of the hearing. They will also express their outrage with the injustice surrounding the August 2018 beating of hospital patient Sheldy Smith by then-Corporal Dewayne B. Jones. They called for reforms and a more effective Board of Police Commissioners.

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 15^th 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 21^st 2021 Jones was granted a new trial. On Wednesday January 12^th he had the initial pre-trial hearing in the courtroom of Judge E. Lynise Bryant at 11:00 AM.  On August 1^st the Final Pretrial was rescheduled to August 10^th.

DRACO founder Scotty Boman said, “Dewayne Jones was able to get a promotion in spite of being a convicted violent criminal…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.”

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