Family, supporters of Cameron Lamb condemn move to undo Kansas City cop’s convictions

Aquil Bey was at a loss for what to say.

For the better part of four years, he and his wife, Laurie Bey, have sought answers and accountability in the killing of Cameron Lamb, his 26-year-old stepson who was fatally shot in his driveway by then-Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere.

On Monday, as the Beys stood at a podium set up on the 11th floor of the Jackson County courthouse in downtown Kansas City, Aquil Bey said they had finally received a long-awaited word on the case from state officials. But they did not get the news they wanted.

“The things that they said made me think it’s most definitely a miscarriage of justice,” Aquil Bey said, recalling the phone conversation as he stood flanked by members of the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.

On Monday, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office filed a brief arguing in favor of tossing out DeValkenaere’s convictions — a step so rare that experienced Kansas City attorneys, including Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, could not recall a precedent.

The AG’s office is responsible for arguing on behalf of the state in post-conviction appeals and has a gained a reputation of fighting tooth and nail to defend them — even going so far as to say one prisoner, who was later exonerated, should be executed even if the state’s highest court found him innocent.

Instead of following the longstanding tradition of defending convictions, Bailey argues that the appellate court should discharge the ex-cop, saying the “evidence credited by the trial court does not, as a matter of law, support the trial court’s findings of guilt.”

The AG’s office also argues that “DeValkenaere’s use of force was reasonable in light of Mr. Lamb’s use of deadly force against” his partner, apparently countering the evidence presented at trial by prosecutors that Lamb was unarmed when he was shot.

“DeValkenaere also was not criminally negligent—both because he did not act with criminal negligence in causing Mr. Lamb’s death and because he reasonably used deadly force in defense of” his partner Troy Schwalm, the brief says.

A spokeswoman for Bailey’s office did not reply to The Star’s request for comment Monday.

Lamb was fatally shot by DeValkenaere on Dec. 3, 2019, while backing his pickup through the sloped driveway of his home in the 4100 block of College Avenue.

Prosecutors contended at trial that DeValkenaere shot an unarmed Lamb and that evidence had been planted at the crime scene to suggest Lamb was holding a gun. DeValkenaere has maintained he shot Lamb because he feared his partner was going to be shot otherwise.

DeValkenaere was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in November 2021 at the end of a bench trial overseen by Jackson County Circuit Court Judge J. Dale Youngs. He was sentenced to six years in prison.

Since then, DeValkenaere has remained free on bond as his case is before Missouri’s Western Court of Appeals. Lawyers for the former detective have said the decision to convict was based on a flawed analysis of the law.

Lamb’s death has been highlighted among Kansas City police reform advocates, who during the city’s 2020 protests seeking racial justice highlighted his death among the police killings that disproportionately affect Black men. Meanwhile, supporters of the former cop — including his family — have quietly lobbied for DeValkenaere’s convictions to be overturned, seeking executive clemency from Gov. Mike Parson.

Of DeValkenaere and the criminal trial 18 months ago, Aquil Bey said the ex-cop and his legal team “got everything they wanted.”

“He got his appeal. He hasn’t served a day in jail. He hasn’t took a mugshot — he’s getting more privileges than the ex-president of the United States,”Aquil Bey said, shaking his head and tossing his right hand in the air.

“But I’m saying: We don’t feel good about it. And so, we’re gonna continue to let the legal system run its course. And we’ll see what happens from there.”

Over recent weeks, Kansas City leaders and police reform activists have also awaited Bailey’s next move. Baker, Jackson County’s prosecutor, filed a brief defending the convictions earlier this month as questions of why Bailey had yet to take the routine step remained unanswered.

Speaking publicly Monday, Baker called the move “extremely distressing,” “unfortunate” and “disappointing.”

Area police reform advocates on Monday activists said they feared the consequences of the former cop’s conviction being undone.

Lauren Bonds, executive director of the National Police Accountability Project, said Bailey’s decision on the case was “disappointing” and that it spoke to “the state of Missouri not respecting the autonomy and independence of urban cores like Kansas City and St. Louis.”

“I think this is consistent with the kind of overreach we’ve seen from the state,” she said.

Gwen Grant, president/CEO of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, called Bailey’s actions “unconscionable.”

“Clearly, (Bailey’s) brief has everything to do with political optics and pandering to the FOP, and absolutely nothing to do with justice and upholding the letter of the law,” Grant said.

Sheryl Ferguson, an organizer with the group It’s Time 4 Justice, cautioned that overturning DeValkenaere’s convictions would “further erode trust,” saying the former cop is “not above the law and should do his time.”

“I feel very confident in saying this would not even be considered if (DeValkenaere were) Black,” Ferguson said. “Based on the climate of this country at the time of trial he waived the right to trial by jury figuring he wouldn’t be convicted, but he was.”

Rev. Vernon Howard, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, said law enforcement and the courts are responsible for upholding human and civil rights.

“Unfortunately here they are being betrayed,” Howard said. “His [Cameron Lamb’s] human and civil rights are being betrayed.”

Howard went on to say that it is unjust for anyone to come onto someone’s property and kill them.

“That would be true whatever the racial dynamic,” Howard said.

Steve Young, of the Kansas City Law Enforcement Accountability Project, said Bailey “is playing with all our lives.”

“If he fights to overturn the conviction, he is putting a bullseye on every Black and brown person,” Young said. “There will be no checks and balances for KCPD. Consider it open season against our community.”

Others critical of Bailey’s action on Monday included Claire McCaskill, the former Democratic U.S. senator whose political career included being the first woman elected as Jackson County’s top prosecutor. She said she was hearing from friends on both sides of the aisle Monday.

“They are shocked. And shaken. And outraged,” she said in a tweet.

The Star’s Luke Nozicka and Jonathan Shorman contributed to this report.