Kansas City police detective Eric Devalkenaere will remain free despite being convicted for killing 26-year-old Cameron Lamb in Kansas City, Mo. on Dec. 3, 2019.
Kansas City Judge J. Dale Youngs granted the killer, who had been convicted in November of second-degree involuntary manslaughter for Lamb’s death, was granted bond as he files an appeal. He is now free on a $30,000 bond.
Devalkenaere’s conviction was the first time a Kansas City Police Officer was convicted in the death of a Black man.
The former detective was also convicted of armed criminal action for shooting Lamb as he was backing his red truck into his garage.
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The police had been looking for a red truck seen chasing a purple mustang at 90 mph when Devalkenaer spotted Lamb parking his vehicle and opened fire within seconds after claiming he saw a gun.
Laurie Bey, Lamb’s mother, was hurt by the judge’s decision. She said it wasn’t right and that it felt like getting “slapped in the face.”
A person convicted of manslaughter being sent home on bond is so unusual, Kansas City lawyers were surprised by the decision, according to one attorney, John Picerno.
“It is extremely rare,” John Picerno said. “There’s no question about.” He added that it is so rare, defense lawyers do not request bonds during appeals.
Kevin Baldwin is also a lawyer in the area and said no Black people would have received bond after being convicted of such a crime.
“I would like for someone to show me any African-American defendant who has been convicted by a jury of a similar crime who has been given that same latitude,” he said. “I don’t think that you’re going to be able to find one.”
The former detective faces up to four years of incarceration for the involuntary manslaughter conviction and three years for the armed criminal action conviction if he loses his appeal.
