AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 13, 2025 — Today, a Summit County grand jury declined to charge the Akron police officer who shot and killed Michael Donnell Jones in August 2024, a decision that has left his family heartbroken and deeply disappointed.
Michael, a 54-year-old father of eight, was fatally shot during an encounter with Akron police in a gas station parking lot after officers approached him in a rented U-Haul truck that had been reported overdue.
“This case should remind all residents of Northeast Ohio that the law favors police officers. The family of Michael Jones believes it is actually impossible to view the video footage in this case and conclude that he was not murdered. The family is grieving this decision, and they thank all who have expressed support for Michael,” said Bobby DiCello, attorney for the Jones family.
About Bobby DiCello
Bobby DiCello, a nationally renowned trial lawyer who has earned multimillion-dollar verdicts, devotes himself to gaining justice for people whose lives have been destroyed by the powerful and the reckless. A former prosecutor, Bobby champions systemic change and is a pioneer in trial science. His accomplishments in the courtroom have been recognized by outlets such as ABC News, for whom he provided ongoing, real-time analysis on the landmark civil rights trial in its series “The Death of George Floyd: Derek Chauvin on Trial.” Public Justice, a national legal advocacy organization, recognized Bobby with its prestigious Trial Lawyers of the Year award for his work on the landmark Black v. Hicks case. Mr. Arnold Black was a victim of appalling brutality and corruption in the City of East Cleveland, Ohio. Bobby tried Black’s case to a jury that awarded a record $50 million—a verdict sustained by the U.S. Supreme Court.
About DiCello Levitt
At DiCello Levitt, we’re dedicated to achieving justice for our clients through class action, public entity, environmental, mass tort, securities, financial services, antitrust, business-to-business, whistleblower, personal injury, and civil and human rights litigation. Our lawyers are highly respected for their ability to litigate and win cases—whether by trial, settlement, or otherwise—for people who have suffered harm, global corporations that have sustained significant economic losses, and public clients seeking to protect their citizens’ rights and interests. Every day, we put our reputations—and our capital—on the line for our clients.
DiCello Levitt has achieved top recognition as Plaintiffs Firm of the Year and Trial Innovation Firm of the Year by the National Law Journal, in addition to its top-tier Chambers and Benchmark ratings. For more information about the firm, including recent trial victories and case resolutions, please visit www.dicellolevitt.com.
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