Police Negligence and Corruption in Donnie Jones Death Investigation - Episode Hero Image

Police Negligence and Corruption in Donnie Jones Death Investigation

Mile Higher · · Listen to Original Episode →
Original Title:

TL;DR

  • The St. Louis County Police Department's investigation into Donnie Jones's death was characterized by extreme negligence and potential corruption, including mishandling evidence and dismissing critical inconsistencies, which prevented a thorough examination of potential foul play.
  • The initial ruling of suicide for Donnie Jones's death is highly questionable due to numerous inconsistencies, such as the presence of unknown DNA on the bedsheet, advanced navy knots, and Donnie's own preparations for a night out, suggesting a staged scene.
  • The behavior of responding officers, including laughter at the scene and dismissive attitudes towards the grieving family, coupled with a history of activism against police brutality by Donnie's mother, raises significant concerns about racial bias and a potential cover-up.
  • The lack of a comprehensive investigation into Donnie Jones's death, including failure to trace the origin of the bedsheet or test all DNA evidence, and the subsequent loss of key evidence, strongly suggests a deliberate effort to close the case prematurely and avoid accountability.
  • Donnie's mother, Melissa McKinnies, has been forced to act as her own investigator, uncovering potential leads and theories that police failed to pursue, highlighting a systemic failure to provide justice for victims and their families.
  • The Plain View Project's findings of racist and dehumanizing posts by law enforcement officers in the St. Louis area, including the lead detective in Donnie's case, provide a disturbing context for the dismissive and potentially biased handling of his death.
  • The police department's alleged destruction of the bedsheet and the misrepresentation of key details in official reports, such as Donnie's height, further erode the credibility of their investigation and suggest a pattern of deception rather than a pursuit of truth.

Deep Dive

The unresolved case of Donnie Jones highlights systemic failures within law enforcement's handling of suspicious deaths, particularly when compounded by racial bias and activism against police misconduct. The official ruling of suicide in Donnie's death is contradicted by numerous inconsistencies, suggesting a pattern of negligence and potentially intentional cover-up by the St. Louis County Police Department. This points to a broader issue where marginalized communities face inadequate investigations, leading to a lack of justice and continued distrust in law enforcement.

Several critical factors undermine the suicide narrative and point towards murder. Donnie, a 24-year-old with a budding real estate business and strong family ties, was found hanging in his backyard. His family unequivocally states he would not have taken his own life, citing his positive outlook and future plans. Key inconsistencies include the presence of a foreign bedsheet with unknown DNA, advanced navy knots inconsistent with Donnie's known skills, and bruises and indentations on his body, all of which were reportedly overlooked or mishandled by investigators. Furthermore, the initial police response was marked by unprofessionalism, including laughter at the scene and dismissive statements from Sergeant Timothy Anderer, who was later found to have racist posts on his personal social media. The mishandling of evidence, including the destruction of the bedsheet and alleged loss of other evidence, further fuels suspicion of a deliberate attempt to close the case prematurely rather than conduct a thorough investigation.

The implications of this case extend beyond a single death, revealing a deeper pattern of systemic bias and a failure to protect vulnerable populations. Donnie's mother, Melissa McKinnies, is a prominent activist against police brutality. Her activism, along with that of other community figures like Darren Seals, who was also murdered, suggests a potential motive for retaliation or silencing. The Plain View Project's findings of racist and dehumanizing posts by St. Louis officers, including Sergeant Anderer, underscore the pervasive racial bias that likely influenced the investigation's trajectory. The police department's focus on revenue over public safety, as noted in a Department of Justice report on Ferguson, further suggests that justice for individuals like Donnie may be secondary to departmental expediency and the maintenance of a flawed official narrative. The lack of a robust investigation into Donnie's death, coupled with the dismissal of his family's concerns, serves as a stark reminder that for marginalized communities, the fight for justice often begins with overcoming institutional indifference and corruption.

Action Items

  • Audit police investigation protocols: Identify 3 systemic failures in Donnie Jones case (e.g., evidence handling, bias, timeline verification) to inform procedural improvements.
  • Create a standardized checklist for investigating suspicious deaths: Include 5 key areas (e.g., DNA testing, witness interviews, scene integrity) to prevent similar oversights.
  • Analyze 10 recent suspicious death investigations in St. Louis County: Document common investigative shortcomings and compare them to established best practices.
  • Develop a public awareness campaign: Highlight 3 common police investigative oversights and their impact on families seeking justice.

Related Episodes

Key Quotes

"I think there's so much more to this story than what we know because of course, police judge this straight out of the gate, as they usually do with cases where people take their own lives. It seems like police just completely forget, and not necessarily in this case, but most of the time, completely forget that staged suicides do happen."

The hosts express skepticism regarding the initial police assessment of Donnie Jones's death as a suicide. They highlight a perceived pattern where law enforcement prematurely dismisses other possibilities when a death is initially ruled a suicide, failing to consider that such scenes can be staged.

"No, there's, I was actually very surprised because it seems like there's so many holes that can be poked into the official narrative that was spun by police that it's just insane to me that another investigation wasn't undertaken with this case because it just seems like there's so many weird things with this that don't make sense."

The hosts are surprised by the lack of further investigation into Donnie Jones's case, given the numerous inconsistencies they perceive in the official police narrative. They believe these discrepancies warrant a more thorough inquiry.

"Right here you are requesting help from first responders, and the first responders arrive and they're now laughing hysterically while your son is deceased in the backyard. Regardless of the scene, it's just like it speaks to a level of unprofessionalism at best."

The hosts describe the unprofessional conduct of responding officers at the scene of Donnie Jones's death, specifically noting their laughter while the family was in distress. This behavior is presented as indicative of a lack of seriousness and respect for the situation.

"The crazy part is that after Officer Anderer saw Melissa break down crying, he started laughing uncontrollably, and she claims both her family and neighbors witnessed it. In fact, it was his disgusting behavior that led Donnie's family to look into this particular detective."

The hosts highlight the disturbing behavior of Officer Anderer, who allegedly laughed at Donnie Jones's mother during a moment of grief. This conduct prompted the family to investigate the detective further, suggesting it was a significant red flag.

"The St. Louis County Police Department asserted that they had sent Melissa a letter telling her to come and claim the sheet and that she had 30 days to do so. Also, now it's blame Melissa. They explained that the letter was sent in January, and since Melissa did not retrieve the sheet within 30 days of that, they destroyed it. Melissa says, 'I never received any sort of notification or letter from them that told me to do that because obviously I would have went and picked that up.'"

The hosts present a discrepancy in the police's account of evidence handling, specifically regarding a bedsheet. The police claim they notified Melissa to retrieve it, while she states she never received such notification, suggesting a potential attempt to shift blame or mishandle evidence.

"The Plain View Project decided to take a closer look at the city of St. Louis, considering its prolonged presence in the national spotlight regarding this exact issue. Most of the content recorded in their database fell into one of three categories. We have statements, we have discriminatory material, and dehumanizing language."

The hosts introduce the Plain View Project, an initiative that documents problematic public posts by law enforcement officers. They explain that the project's focus on St. Louis revealed content categorized as statements, discriminatory material, and dehumanizing language, indicating potential bias within the police department.

Resources

External Resources

Books

  • "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" as told to Alex Haley - Mentioned as an example of a life that mattered and was taken too soon.

Articles & Papers

  • "The Disturbing Backyard Scene Points To Murder... The Unresolved Danyé Jones Case" (Mile Higher Podcast) - The primary subject of the episode, detailing the investigation and circumstances surrounding Danyé Jones's death.

People

  • Danyé Jones - The subject of the case, a 24-year-old man found deceased in his family's backyard.
  • Melissa McKenny - Danyé Jones's mother, an activist and protester of police brutality.
  • Derek - Danyé Jones's stepfather.
  • Daniel - Danyé Jones's uncle.
  • Malicia - Danyé Jones's sister.
  • Javon - Danyé Jones's brother.
  • Timothy Anderer - Sergeant and detective involved in the initial investigation of Danyé Jones's death.
  • Dr. Mary Case - Chief Medical Examiner for St. Louis County.
  • Dr. Gersham Norfleet - Pathologist who examined Danyé Jones's body.
  • Michael Brown Jr. - Individual whose death in 2014 sparked protests in Ferguson, Missouri.
  • Darren Seals - Organizer and activist who was murdered.
  • Edward Crawford Jr. - Individual who became famous for throwing a tear gas canister during the Ferguson uprising.
  • DeAndre Joshua - Young man found murdered in a car that was attempted to be set on fire.
  • Emily Baker White - Project lead for the Plain View Project.
  • Ronald E. Hasty - Officer whose account "Ron Nighthawk" was responsible for numerous flagged posts in the Plain View Project database.
  • Daniel McClain - Individual whose case was mentioned in relation to police misconduct.

Organizations & Institutions

  • Progressive Insurance - Sponsor of the podcast.
  • Golden Globes - Mentioned in relation to a television broadcast.
  • Paramount Plus - Streaming service mentioned.
  • Higher Hope Foundation - Foundation launched by the podcast hosts to offer grants to victims' families and nonprofits.
  • Mile Higher Media - The media company associated with the podcast.
  • Ferguson Police Department - The department involved in the initial investigation of Danyé Jones's death.
  • St. Louis County Corner - The office that conducted the autopsy.
  • St. Louis County Police Department - The department that asserted they sent a letter regarding evidence.
  • Plain View Project - A group of attorneys concerned about racial police bias, documenting public posts by law enforcement.
  • U.S. Department of Justice - Released a report on the Ferguson Police Department.
  • CVS - Mentioned as a community partner.

Websites & Online Resources

  • progressive.com - Website for Progressive Insurance.
  • milehighermerch.com - Website for merchandise, with proceeds going to the Higher Hope Foundation.
  • higherhope.org - Website for the Higher Hope Foundation, for donations and involvement.
  • upwork.com/savenow - Website for Upwork, offering a discount for Business Plus.
  • auraframes.com - Website for Aura Frames, offering a discount with a promo code.
  • simplysafe.com/milehigher - Website for Simply Safe home security systems, offering a discount.
  • revolve.com/milehigher - Website for Revolve, offering a discount with a promo code.
  • justicefordoniejones.com - Facebook page for "Justice for Danyé Jones."

Other Resources

  • Black Lives Matter movement - Movement that Melissa McKenny was a supporter of.
  • Tckr - Mentioned in relation to a video call.
  • Navy knots - Advanced knots found on the bedsheet used in Danyé Jones's death, which the family stated he would not have known how to tie.
  • Rigor mortis - A factor used in determining time of death.
  • Staged suicides - A concept discussed in relation to Danyé Jones's case.
  • Police brutality - A central theme in Melissa McKenny's activism and the case.
  • White supremacy - Mentioned in relation to the Plain View Project findings.
  • Revenue over public safety needs - A key finding in the Department of Justice report on the Ferguson Police Department.
  • AI arms race - Mentioned in relation to student assessment security.
  • Medical weight loss program - Described as the purpose of Ivim.
  • Home security system - Described as the purpose of Simply Safe.
  • Fashion - Mentioned in relation to Revolve.
  • Porch pirates - Mentioned in relation to home security.

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