Video: Black Mississippi Woman Murdered Because Of Police Negligence

An investigation into what happened during a 911 response has lead to a change in Jackson Police protocol.

Sixty-seven year old Helen Harrion was found dead Tuesday, partially clothed, and with severe head trauma outside of her home in the BelAir Subdivision of west Jackson.

Family members initially called police when they found blood at the home, but couldn’t find her.

The coroner says Harrion’s autopsy showed that she was strangled and shot in the face, and suffered blunt force trauma. Her neck was also broken.

Jackson police received a 911 call from the home at 3:23am on Tuesday about a prowler.

In a press conference today, Chief Lindsey Horton said officers who responded to that 911 call did not investigate properly, “I am not pleased with it, and it is a defining moment for us, a teachable moment.”

Horton said if officers would have walked around the house, they would have seen the house had been broken into and they could have found Helen earlier.

“While we did a good investigation, we obviously did not do one to the extent that we covered the entire property. We know that now and I do think our officers could have done a better job,” said Horton.

Chief Horton says officers should have put eyes on her, that is their protocol, and this won’t happen again, “We will be putting a system in place so this wont reoccur.”

Right now, we’re told the officers will not be disciplined, but the investigation is ongoing.

Police investigators did say they found evidence that Helen Harrion fought back, firing her own gun at the intruders.

“She did in fact have a weapon and there’s indication she discharged one shot. We don’t know whether she struck the assailant, she very well may have struck him,” said Chief Horton.

Today, MS News Now spoke to a police dispatch trainer, who listened to that 9-1-1 call from Helen Harrion.

They say the dispatcher also failed to follow national guidelines, that require them to ask the caller, for a description of the prowler.

It’s also protocol in many departments to keep the caller on the line, unless the caller is in immediate danger.

The dispatcher in this case hung up on Harrion. The call took less than 12 seconds.

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