Kansas City police accountability: DeValkenaere’s 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

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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

Former Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere listens to witness statements during his sentencing hearing Friday, March 4, 2022. DeValkenaere was sentenced to six years in the Dec. 3, 2019, killing of Cameon Lamb. By Jill Toyoshiba

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

The family of Donnie Sanders gathered to talk about Donnie, who was fatally shot by a Kansas City police officer in March. A memorial for Donnie Sanders, 47, sits on the sidewalk near the location where he was fatally shot at E. 52nd Street and Wabash Avenue in Kansas City. Donnie was unarmed at the time of the shooting. By Tammy Ljungblad

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

Sen. Bill Eigel, a Weldon Spring Republican running for governor, speaks to reporters. By Jonathan Shorman

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

A gun was shown in a crime scene photo from the Kansas City Police Department shooting of Cameron Lamb in December 2019.

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

Missouri Governor-elect Mike Kehoe greets supporters during a watch party at the Capital Bluffs Event Center after his victory over Crystal Quade in the governor’s race on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Jefferson City By Emily Curiel

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

Laurie Bey, mother of Cameron Lamb, who was shot and killed on Dec. 3, 2019 by Kansas City Police Det. Eric DeValkenaere holds a photo of her son at an event celebrating the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She is surrounded by family, friends, clergy and supporters at St. James United Methodist Church for a press conference prior to the event denouncing DeValkenaere’s release in Decemeber after serving just over one year in prison. By Susan Pfannmuller

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

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.