![\"Aaron](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/IMG_FTW_05-AaronDeanDay8_3_1_FQOQ8DEA_L821804652.JPG\" "\\"Aaron")
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Aaron Dean was criminally convicted manslaughter in 2022, but a civil trial is still pending.<\/p>\n
Amanda McCoy<\/p>\n
amccoy@star-telegram.com<\/p>\n
The Fort Worth City Council voted 10-1 at its June 23 meeting to spend up to $200,000 defending former police officer Aaron Dean in civil lawsuit stemming from the fatal shooting of Atatiana Jefferson in 2019.<\/p>\n
While Dean is no longer a city employee, state law requires cities to pay for the legal defense of police officers sued in civil court for on the job incidents.<\/p>\n
\u201cDean was employed at the time of the incident, so he is covered under the statute,\u201d city attorney Leann Guzman said in an email to the Star-Telegram.<\/p>\n
Only District 5 council member Deborah Peoples voted against the measure.<\/p>\n
District 8 council member Chris Nettles, who represents Jefferson\u2019s former neighborhood, said in a phone call with the Star-Telegram that he\u2019d normally vote against such measures, but wasn\u2019t aware of it before the vote.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t have voted for it, but it was going to pass because we\u2019re required to do it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The measure approving the additional spending was pulled off the council\u2019s consent agenda, which normally happens when a council member wants to recuse themselves from voting on a particular item or wants to make a statement about that item\u2019s importance.<\/p>\n
District 6 council member Mia Hall recused herself from two consent agenda items because of her employment with the Fort Worth school district.<\/p>\n
However, no one spoke on the measure, Nettles said, adding he wasn\u2019t paying close attention before casting his vote.<\/p>\n
In a statement posted to social media, Nettles called his vote \u201can honest mistake\u201d and asked residents not to see it as a reflection of his character, values or long-standing advocacy for social justice.<\/p>\n
Council member Peoples, the sole dissenting vote, did not immediately return a phone call from the Star-Telegram requesting comment.<\/p>\n
Dean is serving a nearly 12-year prison sentence after being convicted of manslaughter<\/a> in 2022. A federal civil lawsuit brought by Jefferson\u2019s estate is pending in federal court.<\/p>\n Part of that lawsuit was settled in 2023 when the Fort Worth City Council approved paying $3.5 million to Jefferson\u2019s nephew, Zion Carr,<\/a> who witnessed the shooting and testified in Dean\u2019s criminal trial.<\/p>\n However, the estate is still seeking damages from both Dean and the city alleging Dean used excessive force and the city bears some responsibility.<\/p>\n The parties failed to reach a settlement during a court-led mediation session in April. Both sides indicated they plan to continue working toward a settlement. Another mediation session is scheduled for September, according to a court docket entry.<\/p>\n This story was originally published June 24, 2026 at 5:00 PM.<\/p>\n