Taser Lawsuit: Jamaal Valentine (La Marque, TX)

This blog continues to advocate for an end to the taser torture that we see happening each week in America. Perhaps it will take legal action to get our police officers to make necessary changes in their use of force when it comes to tasers.

If so, then it good to see legal action in response to the 2009 death of a La Marque man reportedly at the hands of police. A lawsuit filed May 16 in federal court alleges the late Jamaal Valentine sought medical attention for an apparent heart attack only to be met, beaten and killed by three La Marque police officers.

It further claims one of the officers used a Taser on Valentine more than once despite his lack of resistance. The city of La Marque, former police chief Richard Price, Taser International and officers Richard Garcia, Forest Gandy and Mike Keleman are defendants in the case.

Recent court documents explain that the decedent began to feel chest pains the evening of May 16, 2009, and went outside to get some air. He thought was he was suffering a heart attack so he flagged down a passing motorist for help.

The driver, Keith Pope, called 911 and subsequently remained with Valentine until emergency responders arrived.

The plaintiffs argue that Garcia, Gandy and Keleman appeared instead of paramedics.  They allegedly drew their weapons on Valentine and instructed him to put his hands behind his back, disregarding his need for medical attention, the suit says.

According to the original petition, the policemen proceeded to punch, Taser and beat the decedent with their flashlights. Valentine was reported to have pleaded for his life to no avail.

The attacks in question left him with a "significant" gash in his scalp and labored breathing. An ambulance finally arrived some 30 minutes after the initial call, however, 20 minutes passed before paramedics lent assistance to Valentine, the plaintiffs say.

The decedent was rushed to a hospital in Houston, but the ambulance was rerouted to Mainland Medical Center in Texas City when he went into cardiac arrest. Valentine was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.

The suit ultimately accuses the city and Price of failing to properly and thoroughly screen and supervise the officers who allegedly assaulted the decedent.  It blames said officers for intentionally inflicting harm on him while Taser International is faulted for not placing adequate warnings on its products.

Consequently, the Valentine's family seek wrongful death, exemplary and survival damages. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt.

Taser Grand Jury: Jamaal Valentine (LaMarque TX)

The LaMarque Police Department officers who killed 27-year old Jamaal Valentine with a Taser gun aren't responsible for his death, according to a Galveston County Grand Jury. [SOURCE]

Police officers fired their taser guns at Valentine on the night of May 17 after they found him rolling in a ditch. Valentine was arrested but immediately fell ill, so he was transported to a hospital, where he died of heart failure, according to a police statement. But an autopsy performed on his body detected the presence of a controlled substance in his system.

"The applicable law in any criminal case, is that a person is criminally responsible for a result, if the result would not have occurred but for the actors conduct, operating either alone or concurrently with another cause, unless the concurrent cause was clearly sufficient to produce the result and the conduct of the actor clearly insufficient," according to the statement.

Villager's Voice: I had to read the paragraph above a number of times. My take is that the powers-that-be are telling us that this young brother died because of the "controlled substance in his system" and the fact that 50,000 volts of electricity was pumped through his body by the police taser gun was "clearly insufficent". These taser-related deaths won't stop until police are held accountable. These LaMarque police officers are home-free. None of them are facing grand jury charges of murder, manslaughter, criminal negligent homicide or official oppression. When will the powers-that-be do something about these taser-related deaths?

Grand Jury Extended in Jamaal Valentine Taser Death Case

The grand jury reviewing the actions of three La Marque police officers involved in the arrest of a man who died in custody has had its term extended. [SOURCE]

District Attorney Kurt Sistrunk’s office and the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office took the lead in the investigation of the death of 27-year old Jamaal Valentine on May 17.

During the struggle, one of the officers shocked Valentine with a Taser.

At issue for the grand jury, which convened Aug. 30, is whether the three officers acted properly during the arrest.

After weeks of silence, Sistrunk responded directly to accusations that he has been biased in his approach to this case.

“It is hogwash, pure hogwash,” Sistrunk said. “The assertions that were initially made and continue to be made, including that this grand jury presentation is a sham and that justice is being subverted are an affront to the integrity of the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office … this office and the grand jury hearing the evidence.”

Sistrunk also said the action of the grand jury in extending its term “speaks volumes about both the grand jury and what kind of presentation is being made to them, and it is nothing short of fair and just, for the Valentine family, the La Marque Police Department and the citizens of Galveston County.”

Coroner Rules 'Homicide' in Taser Death of Jamaal Valentine

The Galveston County medical examiner ruled that 27-year old Jamaal Valentine's taser-related death on May 17th was a homicide. The grand jury is hearing the case this week to determine whether or not criminal charges should be filed against the the three La Marque (TX) police officers that tasered and beat Valentine to death. [SOURCE]

Jamaal Valentine’s death certificate shows that his death was caused by “blunt head trauma during police restraint.”

Valentine had high levels of PCP and cocaine in his system. Other factors in Valentine’s death included an enlarged heart as well as a lifelong heart defect, the medical examiner wrote on the death certificate.

Written witness accounts dispute police reports that Valentine was shocked just once with a Taser. Several witnesses said Valentine was shocked repeatedly, mostly while he already was in handcuffs.

Valentine died after he wrestled with three La Marque police officers as they attempted to arrest him. Motorists called police, saying they saw Valentine walking down Main Street in La Marque and acting erratically. One witness told investigators and The Daily News that Valentine approached his car and asked for help because he thought he was having a heart attack.

Valentine is one of 34 people killed in taser-related situations this year. The homicide ruling by the coroner is rare ... but, this is the second one in the past week or so.

Taser Grand Jury: Jamaal Valentine (La Marque TX)

Galveston County District Attorney Kurt Sistrunk said the investigation into the death of a Texas City man who was killed with a police Taser continues, but he plans to present the case to a grand jury next month.

Jamaal Valentine, 27, died May 17 after being placed in custody by three La Marque police officers. During the arrest, one of the officers shocked Valentine with a Taser.

We will try to keep villagers updated on this taser torture case. Mr. Valentine is one of 24 people that lost their life this year as a result of taser attacks from the police. I encourage you to sign our online petition asking for congressional hearings on increased incidence of taser torture in America.

What are you thoughts on tasers (in general) or this Jamaal Valentine case (in particular)?

Taser Death of Jamaal Valentine May Be Blamed on 'Excited Delirium'

Jamaal Valentine is the 27-year old man who's life was cut short when LaMarque (TX) police officers fired 50,000 volts of electricity into his body with a taser gun.

Jamaal Valentine was unarmed. He was in physical distress. One of the witnesses at the scene thought that he was having a heart attack and needed medical attention. The police arrived and decided that it would be better to electrocute this man rather than call an ambulance on the scene to provide medical attention.

Result? Jamaal Valentine is dead. His children won't be celebrating Father's Day with him this weekend.

The Powers-That-Be in Texas are desperate to keep the attention on this death with the young father. There is no evidence of drug use. He was unarmed. Yet, it appears that the Galveston District Attorney is leaning towards blaming Valentine's death on 'excited delirium'. Excited delirium is a manic state in which a person appears frantic while adrenaline pumps into the body at a high rate.

Valentine’s family and the eyewitness who called police in the first place claim the officers used excessive force in handling Valentine.

La Marque police records show an ambulance was not called for until after officers had gotten into the scuffle and shocked Valentine. EMS only was called to the scene to treat Valentine for cuts he suffered during the struggle with the three officers.

It was while in the ambulance that Valentine went into cardiac arrest.

We continue to wait for the decision from the Galveston District Attorney on whether or not criminal charges will be filed against the police officers who contributed to the death of this young man.

In the meantime, I encourage all villagers to sign our online petition asking for congressional hearings on the escalating incidents of taser torture in America this year.

District Attorney Refuses to Release Autopsy Report in Taser Death of Jamaal Valentine

Galveston County Medical Examiner Stephen Pustilnik has finished an autopsy report on Jamaal Valentine.

Villagers may remember that Valentine is the 27-year old Black man killed by La Marque (TX) police officers who got into a fight after being called to the site to give help because of the victim's possible heart attack. Valentine died on May 17.

The autopsy report is being kept hidden by the powers-that-be in Texas. Galveston County District Attorney Kurt Sistrunk said his office is opposing the release of the report to the public while his office investigates the Valentine case. [SOURCE]

There is no confirmation that Valentine had any drugs in his system the night he got into the tussle with police. It is likely that the police and district attorney are afraid to publish the autopsy report because it will clearly show that the unnecessary electrocution of Jamaal Valentine with 50,000 volts of electricity from the police taser gun was the cause of death.

“It is still an ongoing investigation, and we are still reviewing the evidence,” Sistrunk said. “There may very well be a need to have follow-up interviews with the witnesses that the Sheriff’s Office has spoken with, or other witnesses who have yet to come forward, and it is in the best interests of everyone concerned that we do all we can to avoid even the hint of impropriety by providing the impetus, so to speak, of an allegation that a witness didn’t come forward until after all the findings were released and their recollection was thus subject to an allegation of being influenced by the M.E.’s findings, if they were released.”

Sistrunk said he would be meeting with Valentine’s family next week to update them on the progress of the investigation. Hopefully, the public will be updated as well. There have been 21 taser-related deaths in America so far this year. Isn't it time for us to get all the facts?

'Justice for Jamaal' is Rally Cry for Protest March on La Marque City Hall

Jamaal Valentine died Sunday night when three La Marque police officers tried to arrest him after people reporting him walking down the middle of main street and rolling in the grass on the side of the road. One of those eye witnesses said that he called police asking for medical help for Valentine who claimed he thought he was having a heart attack. The police used tasers on Valentine instead of getting him medical help.

Valentine, 27-year old father of two toddlers, died.

The good people of La Marque peacefully marched on city hall to protest this taser-related death. About 60 police brutality and anti-taser protesters spoke out against taser torture. These protestors, fearing a tainted investigation by the local district attorney's office, want the investigation conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

La Marque Mayor Geraldine Sam and Councilman Keith Bell addressed the crowd at city hall asking for patience and support of police officers during the ongoing investigation. Mayor Sam was sworn in last week as the first woman and first African American to be mayor of La Marque TX. Her leadership is being tested early!

I encourage the La Marque protestors to join with the AfroSpear in urging for congressional hearings on the rising number of taser-related deaths in America. Do any of us feel that Jamaal Valentine will be the last one?

Family of Jamaal Valentine Must Wait Four Weeks for Medical Examiner Report

Jamaal Anderson is a 27-year old Black man who sought medical attention for a potential heart attack while on the streets of a Houston suburb. He didn't deserve to die.

Valentine was found by police Sunday night after drivers reported the 27-year-old was in the middle of Main Street in La Marque trying to stop cars. Keith Pope was one of those motorists who pulled over and called police after he said Valentine told him that he thought he was having a heart attack and needed medical help.

Although Pope said he was expecting an ambulance, three officers arrived. Instead of providing medical attention, the officers tried to arrest Valentine, Pope said.

The officers said Valentine was combative and fought them, at one point reaching for an officer’s pistol.

That is when one of the officers pulled his Taser and killed Valentine. It seems simple to me ... Valentine would be alive today if the police didn't shock his body with 50,000 volts of electricity.

It's not so simple for the powers that be in Texas. A medical examiner’s spokeswoman said that medical examiner Dr. Stephen Pustilnik said the cause of death of Jamaal Valentine cannot be determined “pending toxicology” test results. Those results can take up to four weeks to be completed, the medical examiner said. [SOURCE]

It boggles my mind that three La Marque police officers couldn't deal with a sick man in some manner less than the deadly force of their tasers. Doesn't the use of force continuum apply in Texas?

Houston, We Have a Problem ... Witness Says Taser-Happy Police Are Lying

Jamaal Valentine is 27-year old Black man who died after being tased by the La Marque police officer. Police officers Richard Garcia, Forrest Gandy and Sgt. Mike Kelemen say that Valentine was "rolling around in the grass in a ditch." They go on to indicate that Valentine fought and bit them. Later, the police report even added something about Valentine reaching for a police sidearm. One of the cops shot Valentine with a taser gun. A few moments later he was died.

However, the 62-year old witness who called for help said the man was seeking medical help for a possible heart attack and didn’t appear to pose any threat to officers. Instead of calling medical aid for Valentine, police tried to arrest him. [SOURCE]

Asked if he thought Valentine was a threat to officers, Pope said, “No.”

“I was as close as you could get to him,” Pope said. “I was face-to-face with him, and he was not threatening to me. He was in distress, needing help.”

The incident has Valentine’s family asking for answers. His stepfather, Troy Terrell, said police had not talked to family members to explain what happened.

Valentine is the 19th person killed in America this year by police tasers.

Jamaal Valentine, 27-Year Old Blackman, Killed by Police Taser Torture in Houston Area

The police found 27-year old Jamaal Valentine rolling in a ditch down near Houston TX. Instead of getting him medical help the police escalated the situation to the point that a taser was pulled and used. Another Blackman dead at the hands of police taser torture. Mr. Valentine is the 19th person killed by taser in the first 20 weeks of the year. Is this another case of extra-judicial electrocution?



When will the police accept that the taser is a lethal weapon?