Examine Kansas City police accountability in 11 articles on DeValkenaere’s conviction and clemency
The path to clemency for Kansas City ex-cop Eric DeValkenaere, who killed Cameron Lamb, involved years of legal and political twists. After his conviction and six-year prison sentence, DeValkenaere remained free on bond while appealing, but was eventually ordered to serve time when his appeal failed and the Missouri Supreme Court declined review. Outgoing Governor Mike Parson ultimately commuted his sentence, despite warnings from local leaders that this would erode trust in law enforcement.
The police department later paid $4.1 million to settle a federal lawsuit brought by Lamb’s family but did not admit fault. Community members and activists argue that the clemency and lack of full departmental review sent a message of diminished police accountability and deepened wounds within Kansas City.
NO. 1: MISSOURI GOVERNOR FREES ERIC DEVALKENAERE, FIRST KC COP CONVICTED OF KILLING A BLACK MAN
Gov. Mike Parson commuted Eric DeValkenaere’s prison sentence a little more than five years after the ex-officer shot and killed 26-year-old Cameron Lamb. | Published December 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jonathan Shorman Kacen Bayless
NO. 2: ERIC DEVALKENAERE SURRENDERS AT KC-AREA JAIL AFTER LOSING APPEAL IN BLACK MAN’S KILLING
Eric DeValkenaere, the first Kansas City police officer convicted in the killing of a Black man, was booked at the Platte County jail. He will be held there until he is taken to a Missouri prison. | Published October 17, 2023 | Read Full Story by Glenn E. Rice
NO. 3: PROSECUTORS RECOMMEND SENTENCE FOR EX-KANSAS CITY DETECTIVE IN CAMERON LAMB SHOOTING DEATH
Former Det. Eric DeValkenaere will remain free on bond after his sentencing Friday. | Published March 1, 2022 | Read Full Story by Glenn E. Rice
NO. 4: KANSAS CITY COP CONVICTED IN BLACK MAN’S KILLING IS ON HIS WAY TO MISSOURI PRISON
Eric DeValkenaere, the former Kansas City police detective convicted of killing Cameron Lamb in 2019, had been free on bond for nearly two years while his appeal was pending. | Published October 25, 2023 | Read Full Story by Glenn E. Rice
NO. 5: MISSOURI SUPREME COURT DECLINES TO REVIEW CASE OF WHITE KC DETECTIVE WHO KILLED BLACK MAN
Missouri Supreme Court will not review former KC police detective Eric DeValkenaere’s conviction in the killing of Cameron Lamb. | Published March 5, 2024 | Read Full Story by Robert A. Cronkleton
NO. 6: KCPD PANEL MEANT TO REVIEWS POLICE SHOOTINGS HAS IGNORED THESE TWO HIGH-PROFILE CASES
Why has the panel not reviewed the fatal Kansas City police shootings of Cameron Lamb in 2019 and Donnie Sanders in 2020? | Published March 27, 2024 | Read Full Story by Katie Moore
NO. 7: MO GOVERNOR CANDIDATE VOWS TO FREE DEVALKENAERE AS REPUBLICANS WEIGH IN ON CONVICTION
“Today I make this promise– in my first week as governor, I will pardon Eric DeValkenaere,” said Republican Sen. Bill Eigel from Weldon Spring. | Published June 3, 2024 | Read Full Story by Kacen Bayless
NO. 8: ‘A HORRIBLE MESSAGE’: KANSAS CITY EX-COP’S CLEMENCY EXPECTED TO HURT TRUST OF POLICE
“It shows that our judicial system is as out of whack as it has been for forever,” a Kansas City activist said. | Published December 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jonathan Shorman
NO. 9: AS GOV. PARSON FREES EX-KC COP EARLY, NEWLY RELEASED CASE FILE DETAILS CAMERON LAMB SHOOTING
The Kansas City Police Department released more than 500 pages of documents related to the fatal police shooting of Cameron Lamb including witness accounts, crime lab reports and photos. | Published December 20, 2024 | Read Full Story by Katie Moore Bill Lukitsch
NO. 10: MISSOURI’S NEXT GOVERNOR SAYS KC EX-COP WHO KILLED BLACK MAN ‘WILL BE HOME’ FROM PRISON
Mike Kehoe said the former KCPD detective is “wrongly” imprisoned. He will likely commute his sentence if Gov. Mike Parson doesn’t do it first. | Published November 12, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jonathan Shorman Katie Moore
NO. 11: KC POLICE WILL PAY $4.1M IN CAMERON LAMB SETTLEMENT, BUT WON’T ADMIT FAULT
Kansas City police and former detective Eric DeValkenaere admitted to no fault or wrongdoing as part of the settlement. | Published April 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jonathan Shorman PJ Green…