Hartford Ex-Officer Charged With Manslaughter in Steven Jones Shooting

A state probe determined the shooting was not justified because the officer failed to de-escalate a mental health crisis.

Overview

State Inspector General Eliot Prescott charged former Hartford officer Joseph Magnano with first-degree manslaughter on Monday, and he was released on $50,000 bond with a June 5 court date.
Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, who represents Jones’s family, said the charge is a necessary step toward accountability.
An arrest warrant says Magnano did not use de-escalation or nonlethal options and that Steven Jones did not pose an imminent threat to bystanders.
Body camera video shows Magnano arrived as three officers spoke calmly to Jones, then shouted commands and fired nine shots less than a minute after leaving his vehicle.
The case is the first on-duty manslaughter charge for a Connecticut officer since a 2020 shooting by a state trooper that ended in acquittal.