DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF News) – A Dallas County grand jury returned an indictment against a former Mesquite police officer involved in a high-profile shooting that sparked allegations of police brutality Wednesday afternoon.
Derick Wiley is facing an Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapons charge. He posted a $300,000 bond when he turned himself in to police after the charges were filed.
The charges stem from a shooting on November 8th, when the victim, Lyndo Jones, was shot twice in the back after police responded to a call about a possible car burglary before confirming that the truck belonged to him.
The car alarm was malfunctioning and Jones was trying to fix the situation when police arrived. Police said that there was a struggle before the shots were fired.
The Mesquite Police Department fired Wiley after an internal investigation that revealed that he violated department policy when he shot Jones.
Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson said Wiley faces between five to 99 years, or life, and a possible fine of up to $10,000 if convicted.
“I also want to reassure the citizens of Dallas County that my office is committed to seeking justice. It is my responsibility to get it right, which is why I am always thorough before making any decision regardless of the timeline. I will continue to exercise that judgement on every single case, no matter who you are,” she said in a statement.
Attorney Lee Merritt, who represents Jones, said via Twitter that he was disappointed in the way the case had been handled.
“We’re grateful the GJ did their job in returning an indictment, however, we remain disappointed in DA Johnson who failed to do her job & file criminal charges. The reluctance to prosecute gives us little confidence in the office’s ability to secure a conviction,” he said.
When asked about her response to Merritt’s comment, Johnson said her office did its job.
“Unfortunately, Lee Merritt didn’t have all the facts, he didn’t have all the information, we did. That’s why the citizens of Dallas County can count on us to make sure we do the right thing based on the evidence that we have,” she said.
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