FILE - Eric DeValkenaere, a Kansas City, Mo., police detective, who shot and killed Cameron Lamb after a chase, testifies on Nov. 10, 2021, at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City, Mo. A Missouri appeals court on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023, affirmed the conviction of DeValkenaere who shot and killed a Black man in 2019. (Rich Sugg/The Kansas City Star via AP, File)
AĀ former detectiveĀ in Missouri convicted in the death a Black man in 2019 is now jailed after losing an appeal of his conviction despite unusual support from the stateās Republican attorney general.
Eric J. DeValkenaere had beenĀ free on bondĀ during the appeal, but a judge revoked bond Tuesday and ordered a warrant for his arrest. DeValkenaere went to the Platte County jail himself Tuesday and surrendered, Maj. Erik Holland of the sheriffās office told theĀ Kansas City Star. He will be held there until he is transferred to a Missouri prison.
DeValkenaereās lawyer declined comment to The Associated Press.
DeValkenaere, who is white, was found guilty in 2021 of second-degree manslaughter and armed criminal action in the death of 26-year-old Cameron Lamb. Lamb was parking a pickup truck in his Kansas City back yard when the officer shot him after reports Lamb was in a car chase with his girlfriend.
The judge who found DeValkenaere guilty in a bench trial said police were the initial aggressors and had a duty to retreat, but DeValkenaere illegally used deadly force instead.
On Tuesday, a three-judge panel ruled unanimously there had been enough evidence to convict DeValkenaere. He had beenĀ sentencedĀ to three years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and six years for armed criminal action, with the sentences to run consecutively.
InĀ an unusual legal move, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey in June asked the appeals court to reverse DeValkenaereās conviction or order a new trial. In Missouri, the attorney generalās office handles criminal appeals and typically defends convictions, rather than appealing them.
A spokesperson on Tuesday said the attorney generalās office is reviewing the appeals court decision.
Police said DeValkenaere and his partner, Troy Schwalm, went to Lambās home after reports heād been chasing his girlfriendās convertible in a stolen pickup truck. DeValkenaere said he fired after Lamb pointed a gun at another detective. The judge said the officers had no probable cause to believe any crime had been committed, had no warrant for Lambās arrest and had no search warrant or consent to be on the property.
Rumors had swirled this summer that Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson was considering pardoning or granting clemency to DeValkenaere. That prompted Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker to send the governor a letter urging him not to do so. Civil rights advocates warned that releasing the former detective could cause unrest in the city and damage an already tense relationship between police and Kansas Cityās Black community.
On Tuesday, Parson spokesperson Johnathan Shiflett said in an email that the governor is āassessing the situation,ā and no decision has been reached on whether to grant a pardon.
