Mean Jean & Activists Talk Social Justice Amid Pardon Protest

Forgive a bit of a repeat tonight . . .

Arguments against the pardon of a former KCPD detective convicted of involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action have garnered the local & national spotlight.

Something we've noticed . . . 

A great deal of the discussion is more focused on the CULTURAL IMPACT of a potential pardon rather than the merits of the case that have been disputed by legal experts throughout Missouri. 

Much smarter people than TKC have argued that the verdict was questionable and merits appeal and, inevitably, an overturn. 

But the legal discussion has been ignored, the politics and racially charged rhetoric of the story is what garners the most interest. 

There's also a lot of speculation about the response from the community . . . To that we offer this simple street level question: 

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE REALLY GONNA PROTEST & RIOT FOR SOME DUDE WHO HAS BEEN DEAD FOR NEARLY FOUR YEARS?!? 

TKC will go out on a limb here and suggest that the main concern about this case is from "the chattering class" and activists who are hoping to accomplish political goals.

Accordingly . . . A quote from a top law enforcement official merits consideration regarding impact of perceived injustice . . .

"It is the slow burn after the protests are over," Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker continued. "What happens after that? Violence rates we can expect to go up. Calls for service probably actually go down, because people don't trust that the rule of law is going to matter for them."

Similarly . . .

A local blog has been strident about serial killer rumors and now believes that getting rid of police is the answer to alleged injustice . . . It's important to note that they're one of the loudest voices joining the prosecutor in outcry regarding this case . . . Ask anybody else at the gas station and they probably don't know much about this politically charged controversy . . . 

"This ongoing saga of brutality, white supremacy, and abuses of power continues to highlight the urgent need for abolition. We, in the tradition of the radical Black press, will remain on the frontlines of this battle––illuminating truth and demanding accountability."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Jackson County Prosecutor says pardoning Eric DeValkenaere would hurt trust in the 'rule of law'

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker sent a letter to Missouri Gov. Mike Parson urging him to not pardon a former Kansas City Police detective who killed Cameron Lamb in 2019. DeValkenaere was the first KCPD officer to ever be convicted in the fatal shooting of Black man.

A License to Kill: Missouri Governor Expected to Pardon First Cop in Kansas City History Who Was Convicted for Murdering A Black Man

In a shocking move, Missouri's Governor prepares to pardon Eric DeValkenaere, the first KCPD officer in history convicted of murdering a Black man.

You decide . . .