A Kansas City police detective was found guilty of manslaughter in the 2019 killing of a Black man who was fatally shot in his own backyard. Jackson County Circuit Court Judge J. Dale Youngs announced his decision Friday afternoon. Eric DeValkenaere, 43, was charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the Dec. 3, 2019, shooting of Cameron Lamb. He was convicted of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action.
During the bench trial which started Nov. 8, prosecutors and defense attorneys painted starkly different pictures of DeValkenaere and the actions that transpired nearly two years ago. Lamb, 26, was shot after officers investigating a crash reported a red pickup chasing a purple Ford Mustang. Officers in a police helicopter spotted the truck driven by Lamb and followed the vehicle. Prosecutors said there was no evidence that anyone had dialed 911, that anyone was hurt or that a crime had taken place when DeValkenaere and another detective arrived at Lamb’s home at 4154 College Ave. Lamb was fatally wounded as he was backing a pickup into his garage, prosecutors alleged, saying it took DeValkenaere nine seconds from the time he walked from the front of the residence to the back of the house before he opened fire on Lamb.
DeValkenaere’s conduct was “reckless,” action prosecutors said, and violated the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures. “The state of Missouri finds it absolutely unreasonable that he did this with a loaded gun,” said assistant prosecutor Dion Sankar. “We find it unreasonable because there was no reason to enter the private residence with a gun, because there was no pressing reason pressing him to move. That was his choice.” During the trial, prosecutors also alleged the crime scene was staged and evidence was planted. At the time that DeValkenaere shot Lamb, he was not armed and the gun that police said he had with him was actually inside of a staircase near the garage, prosecutors said. DeValkenaere testified that moments before the shooting, he saw Lamb reach with his left hand for a handgun from his waistband and point towards his partner Troy Schwalm.
“My focus moves from that weapon to the center of his chest,” DeValkenaere said. “I bring my weapon and drive it towards him. And as I acquire the front sight, I discharge a round to his center mass.” DeValkenaere said he had a duty to protect Schwalm. He also denied planting evidence, having any other officer alter evidence or change their report of the shooting. Defense attorney Dawn Parsons said that DeValkenaere was given no choice when he shot Lamb. She also said DeValkenaere and Schwalm did not need a search warrant, probable cause or consent to go on the property to investigate saying under “the totality of the circumstances, they can do that.”
