Congressman Veasey (TX-33) Statement on Manslaughter Conviction of Aaron Dean in Atatiana Jefferson Murder Trial

Congressman Veasey (TX-33) released the following statement after former Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean was convicted of manslaughter in the trial of Atatiana Jefferson:

"Today's guilty verdict is one small step to delivering justice for Atatiana Jefferson and her family. While this verdict means the officer who killed Atatiana will finally be held accountable for his actions, it will never give Atatiana her life back or return her to her family."

"This verdict underscores the important work that needs to be done locally and nationally to ensure a tragedy like this one does not happen again. Going forward, the Tarrant County District Attorney must thoroughly and properly investigate cases like this and fight hard enough for fair jury representation. It's time for the city of Fort Worth to create a civilian police review board that boosts transparency and accountability."

"The Senate must also finally pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that we in the U.S. House of Representatives have already passed multiple times. I proudly supported this critical legislation that addresses racial bias and increases accountability within police departments to build trust between law enforcement and the communities like the ones in Fort Worth."

"As your U.S. Representative, I will continue to do all I can to work with our local and federal partners to spur meaningful action to make sure justice is served for all of those who have been impacted by violence at the hands of law enforcement."