Shakopee man who assaulted dying teen reneges on settlement
A Twin Cities man who sexually assaulted a dying 16-year-old girl is trying to get out of paying the millions of dollars he promised to her family and Minnesota courts may not be able to help resolve the issue.
Daniel Jones served four years in prison for the sexual assault of Brittany Powell.
Powell overdosed surrounded by drugs, alcohol and filth at Jones' home in Prior Lake in 2000. As she was dying, Jones assaulted her instead of getting her help.
Victoria Powell, Brittany's mother, said, "Think about a 16-year-old, a person hanging on for her life being refused a 911 call and being repeatedly raped and he serves four years."
Jones agreed to pay Powell's family $2 million, including $500,000 right away. He has paid a fraction of the settlement, but now he's refusing to pay all of it. He's pleading poverty.
However, as a member of the Shakopee tribe, Jones has lots of cash coming in each month.
He told the court he makes $38,000 twice a month, roughly a million dollars a year, just for being a member of the tribe.
Jones also lives in a large home in Shakopee.
The Powell family attorney, Fred Soucie, said, "He's flaunting his wealth and he is avoiding paying for his heinous act."
According to Jones' bank statements, he burned through $191,000 during one month in 2008. He withdrew tens of thousands of dollars in cash.
Minnesota courts may not be able to help the Powell family because of the tribe's status.
Soucie said, "Because it is a sovereign nation, they are beyond the reach of our civil justice system."
He said, "The lawyer for Jones, not the tribe, but the lawyer for Jones is telling me that the tribe is going to step in and protect his money from us. I don't like that much."
According to Soucie, the tribe sent a written statement to the family saying this is a "personal" matter for Mr. Jones.
Jones refused to talk to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS when one of our crews approached him at a gas station near his home.
His attorney told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS he wants to negotiate a new deal.
When it was pointed out that Jones already agreed to one deal, the attorney said "so (expletive) what".
The family can renegotiate or risk getting nothing.
Victoria Powell said, "I will fight til my dying breath for him to have to pay some consequence."
