Atatiana Jefferson’s dad stopped her funeral so he could involved. He goes before a judge Monday
A Texas judge Monday will hear arguments from the father of Atatiana Jefferson, who convinced a court to stop his daughter’s weekend funeral so that he could be included in the arrangements.
Mourners were expected to gather Saturday at a Dallas megachurch to say goodbye to Jefferson, who was killed by a Fort Worth police officer as she played video games with her 8-year-old nephew. A neighbor had called police for a welfare check after seeing her door open late at night.
The remembrance was postponed when Dallas County Judge Brenda Hull Thompson signed an order Friday saying that Marquis Jefferson has authority to make arrangements for her funeral and burial, court records show.
The father said in his application for a temporary restraining order that he would suffer “immediate and irreparable injury” if his daughter’s aunt were permitted to bury his daughter without his participation.
He wants to be included in the event and is planning on holding the funeral Thursday, his spokesman, Bruce Carter, has said.
Marquis Jefferson has a good relationship with his daughter’s mother and siblings, who use the surname, Carr, according to Carter.
“The Carr family is invited. There is room for them. They are more than welcome. They’ll be respected. They’ll be treated with dignity, and that’s what should happen,” Carr said.
Arguments regarding the restraining order issued for the funeral will be heard in probate court at 10 a.m. (11 a.m. ET).
Shot while playing with her nephew
Former Fort Worth officer Aaron Dean, one of two policemen who responded to the neighbor’s call to check on Jefferson’s house, has been charged with her murder. He has resigned from the force. Jim Lane, his attorney, declined to comment on the case.
The shooting left the community on edge. In addition to the optics of a police officer shooting a woman in her own home, Dean is white and Tatiana Jefferson is black
Jefferson, 28, was playing video games with her nephew when the two officers arrived, responding to a call from a neighbor about Jefferson’ exterior doors being open after 2 a.m. on October 12.
As officers walked outside the house around 2:30 a.m., Jefferson heard noises in the backyard, pulled a gun from her purse and pointed it toward the window, police said.
Dean yelled, “Put your hands up! Show me your hands!” before he fired through the window, killing Jefferson, body camera footage shows.
The officers had not identified themselves as law enforcement.
Remembering a woman who loved her family
Jefferson had recently moved home to Fort Worth to take care of her ailing mother. That night, she was looking after her nephew while her mother was in the hospital.
Amber Carr, Jefferson’s older sister, said her son shared a special bond with his “Aunt Tay,” who taught him life skills, such as keeping schedules and how best to prepare for school.
Jefferson had been looking forward to taking her nephews to the State Fair of Texas while Carr recovered from heart surgery.
“The relationship she has with my sons is indescribable,” Carr said. “Sometimes people think that they’re her kids, not mine.”
Jefferson’s father added, “Tay was love. And that smile? Lord have mercy, it could brighten up any room.”
Jefferson loved helping others, her family said. She graduated with a pre-med degree in biology from Xavier University of Louisiana in 2014 and was working in pharmaceutical equipment sales, civil rights attorney Lee Merritt said.
