New York Police Officer Who Shot DJ Henry to Give Deposition

Henry family lawyer Michael Sussman will have the opportunity to question Pleasantville, NY Police Officer Aaron Hess Tuesday in White Plains, N.Y.

  For the first time since Easton native DJ Henry was shot and killed by a New York police officer nearly two years ago, the Henry family lawyer will have an opportunity to question the man who did the shooting. Aaron Hess, the Pleasantville, NY police officer who shot and killed DJ Henry on Oct. 17, 2010, will be the first to give deposition for a civil lawsuit filed by the family. "It’s a case I’ve spent a great deal of time and energy on and I think for good reason," Henry family attorney Michael Sussman said on a conference call Friday afternoon. "And, it’s very, very important that we understand from his perspective what he did, and what he didn’t do, and why he did what he did." DJ Henry, a football player at Pace University and …

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Federal Judge to Allow Motions in Lawsuits Against Aaron Hess

The attorney of the police officer who shot DJ Henry will still seek a dismissal of charges.

At a pre-motion conference in federal court today, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas granted Brian Sokoloff, the attorney for Pleasantville Police Officer Aaron Hess, the opportunity to file for a dismissal of all charges against his client within the next 30 days. Seven peers of Danroy "DJ" Henry—the Pace University student and Easton native who was shot to death by police at the Thornwood Shopping Center on Oct. 17, 2010—have filed lawsuits against Hess, along with the case's associated municipalities and several local officials. Joseph Romanick, Daniel Parker, Desmond Hinds, Rebecca Gallo, Joseph Garcia and Yves Delpeche all appeared in court for the proceedings today and stood alongside their attorney Bonita Zelman for press statements…

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Hess' Attorney Challenges Charges in DJ Henry Case

Pleasantville Police Officer Aaron Hess's attorney and plaintiffs' lawyers to meet next month.

The parties involved in the several lawsuits pending following the October 2010 shooting death of Pace University student and Easton native Danroy "DJ" Henry will meet for a pre-motion conference on July 10. The scheduled meeting in the White Plains United States District Court follows an April 4 pre-motion conference meeting overseen by Judge Kenneth M. Karas. The upcoming conference was requested by Brian Sokoloff, the attorney representing Pleasantville Police Officer Aaron Hess, who fired the fatal shot at the Thornwood Shopping Center. A Westchester County grand jury failed to indict Hess during a hearing last February. Danroy and Angella Henry, DJ's parents, have also filed a suit against The Village of Pleasantville. Danroy Henry Sr…

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Danroy Henry Sr. Reacts to Released Materials in Son's Shooting

The father of DJ Henry said the most "instructive" material was the documented reaction of Police Officer Ronald Beckley.

  Danroy Henry Sr., the father of Easton native DJ Henry, who was shot and killed by Pleasantville, NY Police Officer Aaron Hess in New York in 2010, released a YouTube video Monday night expressing his views regarding materials recently made available to the public. He said the materials, which include audio, dash cam videos, and testimony from witnesses, should be viewed in the context of an investigative process which Henry called "flawed." "What we hope folks will do is keep in context the source of this information," he said in the video. "This was gathered, we think, with some bias, because it was gathered through an investigative process that we have already said on record, we think was flawed." "...It doesn’t mean all of it is …

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Attorneys Conference Nine Pending Henry Lawsuits

Judge gives parties eight months before next conference date.

Attorneys in the nine lawsuits pending as a result of the shooting and subsequent death of Pace University student and Easton native Danroy "DJ" Henry on Oct. 17, 2010, met in U.S. District Court this morning. Judge Kenneth Karas is overseeing the case and met with the parties in White Plains to conference the matters. Most recently, several of Henry's peers—including those who were previously arrested the morning of his death (charges were later dismissed)—announced they are suing the county, Village of Pleasantville Town of Mount Pleasant and related individual law enforcement officers for police brutality. Yves Delpeche, Joseph Garcia and Desmond Hinds, are each suing—through their attorney Bonita Zelman—Westchester County, the Town of …

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DJ Henry Remembered in Student Newspaper

The Pace Chronicle paid tribute to Henry in a special addition Wednesday.

The Pace Chronicle, Pace University's student newspaper, paid tribute to slain Easton native, DJ Henry Wednesday in a special edition publication. The special edition was released less than a week before next Monday, Oct. 17, which is the one year anniversary of Henry's death. While attending college at Pace University in New York last year, the former Oliver Ames High School student and football player was shot and killed by Pleasantville, NY police officer Aaron Hess outside of a bar. Since the incident, there have conflicting accounts of what actually happened. While police have said Henry drove towards Hess and the officer was acting in self-defense, other witnesses have said that the 20-year-old was moving his vehicle from the fire …

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Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: DJ Henry Story Should Not Go Away

A reader asks for answers in Henry case.

I keep checking your web site to learn if there is any news on the shooting of DJ Henry that would help explain the actions of the police that night. This story should not go away. Unfortunately what happened to DJ could have happened to anyone who was there that night. There are so many unanswered questions. Nothing can bring DJ back. The police (A. Hess) need to be held accountable or cleared. If the district attorney has proof to support the police version it should be released - I keep hearing word transparency but I have yet to see it in action. DJ should be in school playing football, eating pizza preparing himself for life. I did not know him, from all accounts he was a good kid who would make any parent proud. Hopefully some good …

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Henry Family Deals With Grief in the Public Eye

A recent Boston Magazine piece profiled the family of slain Easton native DJ Henry as they deal with grief and media attention.

The family of slain Easton native DJ Henry was featured in this month's Boston Magazine in an article titled "Family Interrupted." The in-depth look at the the family's struggle to cope with the grief and public attention touches on the family's home life, the fight to find the truth about what happened, and chronicles their horrific night 11 months ago when they learned that DJ Henry had been shot and killed by New York Police Officer Aaron Hess. In the article, Danroy Henry, DJ's father, describe's coping with the public attention. “It’s very hard,” Dan says with a tired look when asked what it’s like to grieve so publicly. “But it’s necessary. Even on the first morning, my inclination was not to say anything. But we couldn’t allow them …

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Aaron Hess Sues New York Liquor Store

Aaron Hess' attorney said it is believed DJ Henry bought booze at the store the night before his death. Hess is the officer who shot DJ Henry.

Pleasantville, NY Police Officer Aaron Hess has filed a lawsuit against Briarciff Wines & Liquors, the establishment he believes knowingly sold alcohol to underage Pace University student Danroy "DJ" Henry on Oct. 16, 2010, the night before he was shot and killed by Hess in Thornwood. "We have done our own investigation," said Mitchell Baker, the White Plains, NY attorney representing Hess. "We determined Mr. Henry obtained the liquor from this liquor store." According to Baker, the suit is based on the Dram Shop Act, which provides "that if you sell liquor to someone illegally and that person who is later intoxicated creates injury to someone else, the person who was injured can bring a lawsuit against the person who sold the liquor." He …

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