Posted on December 7, 2017

Former Texas Police Officer Indicted in Shooting of Man

Claudia Lauer, Associated Press, December 6, 2017

A former police officer in a Dallas suburb has been indicted in the shooting of a black man who was mistaken for a burglar while trying to unlock his own truck.

Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson announced that a grand jury on Wednesday indicted former Mesquite police officer Derick Wiley, 31, on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by a public servant in the Nov. 8 shooting of Lyndo Jones, who survived. Johnson said Wiley had turned himself in and been released on $300,000 bond, but said she did not know where he surrendered.

Attorney information for Wiley was not immediately available in court records. Johnson said Wiley does have an attorney but declined to offer her name.

Authorities have said Jones was shot twice after officers responded to a report of someone breaking into a vehicle, setting off its alarm. Officials said the shooting occurred as Jones scuffled with Wiley, who is also black, and other officers.

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The aggravated assault charge carries a sentence of between 5 years to life in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Johnson said the office will “seek the maximum” sentence.

Wiley was fired late last month for violating a police department policy, though Mesquite Police Chief Charlie Cato didn’t specify what policy had been violated. Wiley had been with the department for more than nine years.

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