Former Hartford Officer Charged With First-Degree Manslaughter in Steven Jones Shooting

Overview

• Joseph Magnano turned himself in Monday, was charged with first-degree manslaughter, then left custody on a $50,000 bond with a court date set for June 5.
• The inspector general’s 53-page report says Magnano’s force was not objectively reasonable, citing no meaningful de-escalation efforts, no reasonable attempt to use a Taser, and no imminent threat to bystanders.
• Body camera video shows three officers trying to calm Steven Jones, who held a large knife and was described as suicidal in a 911 call from his sister, before Magnano arrived and fired nine shots less than a minute after getting out of his car.
• Civil-rights attorney Ben Crump, speaking for Jones’ family, called the charge a needed step toward accountability, while the Hartford Police Officers Union said Magnano acted to protect others and urged the public to let the legal process play out.
• The case is Connecticut’s first on-duty manslaughter charge since a 2020 shooting that ended in acquittal, and it has prompted local leaders to discuss changes to how police respond to mental-health crises.