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Man found not guilty in connection to JoCo teen’s fentanyl-related death

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After a four-day trial, a jury handed down a decision of not guilty for a man’s alleged role in the fentanyl-related death of a Johnson County teenager.

On Thursday, the jury found Aaron Hansberry, 29, not guilty of felony distribution of a controlled substance causing great bodily harm or death, linked to the death of 16-year-old Cooper Davis in 2021.

The decision sparked strong emotions

The jury took about two hours to deliberate before reaching a decision, according to a KSHB report.

Hansberry’s legal representative, Michael Duma of Duma Law Offices in Olathe, told the Johnson County Post the jury’s quick decision spoke to his client’s innocence.

“I think in this case, the jury only taking an hour and a half to deliberate as to his guilt or innocence is telling,” he said.

He added that Hansberry was a victim of being convicted by the media.

“It is upsetting when the news convicts somebody before they have had their chance in court, and it is upsetting when the news condemns somebody even when they’re exonerated after an hour and a half,” he said.

While a request for comment from the Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe was not returned, he issued a statement to KSHB that he was let down by the verdict.

“We are disappointed in this verdict,” Howe stated. “However, I would like to thank the DEA and Drug Task force, and the prosecutors for their hard work on this case. Cooper’s family has done amazing work in this community and we will continue to fight hard with them to reduce the number of overdose deaths that result from fentanyl.”

Libby Davis
Libby Davis, mother of Cooper Davis, who died at 16 of fentanyl poisoning. File photo.

Davis’s mother was upset by the verdict

Hansberry was charged in connection to the August 2021 death of Davis, a Mill Valley High junior, who died after taking what he believed was Percocet but turned out to be a pill laced with a fatal dose of fentanyl, court records show.

Following Davis’s death, his mother, Libby Davis, continues to make a push for better awareness of fake pills containing the drug and the dangers they pose to teens through campaigns like “Keeping Clean for Coop.”

It also prompted local public school districts, including USD 232, Shawnee Mission and Blue Valley, to stock the anti-overdose nasal spray drug Narcan.

In a statement to the Johnson County Post, she said she was disappointed by the jury’s decision.

“We are devastated, disappointed, and disheartened by the outcome today,” Libby Davis stated. “We had hoped to get justice for Cooper and to get a poison peddler off the streets, but justice did not go our way today.”

The verdict will not deter Libby Davis’s movement for fentanyl awareness. On June 15, she will host the 3rd Annual Fighting Fentanyl 5K.

“We will continue to use Cooper’s story for good and keep reminding others that awareness is our #1 defense,” she added.

Go deeper: How local educators are tackling the fentanyl crisis

About the author

Andrew Gaug
Andrew Gaug

👋 Hi! I’m Andrew Gaug, and I cover Shawnee and Lenexa for the Johnson County Post.

I received my bachelor’s degree in journalism from Kent State University and started my career as a business reporter for The Vindicator in Youngstown, Ohio.

I spent 14 years as a multimedia reporter for the St. Joseph News-Press before joining the Post in 2023.

Have a story idea or a comment about our coverage you’d like to share? Email me at andrew@johnsoncountypost.com.

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