UPDATE: What’s Happening With the Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. Case

A grand jury begun to hear testimony Wednesday on whether criminal charges should be pressed against White Plains Police in the death of retired Marine Kenneth Chamberlain Sr., who would have celebrated his 69th birthday on Thursday.

The former correctional officer was shot by police in his apartment at the Winbrook housing complex on Nov. 19, after law enforcement responded to Chamberlain’s medical alert device.

Police said Chamberlain threatened police with a hatchet and a knife, forcing them to use a taser and beanbag gun on him before fatally shooting him.

Chamberlain’s family argues that Chamberlain, a heart patient, told police he didn’t need help for about an hour and that the medical alert company cancelled their call to police before reminding them that there was a medical situation rather than a criminal situation. Regardless of this, police forced their way into the apartment.

The family also said that video and audio footage show that police taunted Chamberlain’s military service and called him a “nigger” before shooting Chamberlain—who they say was unarmed, with his hands at his side and in his boxer shorts when he was killed.

Read below to find out the latest developments in the death of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. and check out our topics page here so you don’t miss any of our coverage of the case.

Network for Police Accountability Started in Response to Chamberlain Death

The Daily White Plains reports that the newly launched Network for Police Accountability recently held a meeting at the Thursday to discuss police policies in response to Chamberlain's death.

The network is calling for police departments to publicize their policies regarding the use of force, and plans to write letters to politicians asking for a fair grand jury hearing in the Chamberlain case. The group will also research configurations for a countywide coalition that would review and investigate concerns resident have with police, as well as grievances of police officers.

Click here to read the story in The Daily White Plains.

Chamberlain Lawyer: Police Violated Their Own Taser Policy

Lawyers for Chamberlain’s family said documents and autopsy reports show that police acted inappropriately when they shot Chamberlain.

In an interview with Democracy Now, lawyers said that police violated their own taser policy by using it on an elderly person and failing to give verbal warnings. Lawyers also told Democracy Now that the autopsy report shows that Chamberlain wasn’t advancing toward or facing police and that he wasn’t holding a weapon.

The laywers have also been advised that the officer who used the racial slur against Chamberlain was not Officer Anthony Carelli. Carelli, who shot and killed Chamberlain, is currently involved in a $10 million police brutality lawsuit against several White Plains police officers. 

Mayo Bartlett, one of the Chamberlain family's attorneys, noted that the Westchester County District Attorney’s office has followed through on their promise from November to have the case presented to a grand jury. 

Click here to read Democracy Now’s story and click on the YouTube video to watch the interview. 

Chamberlain Family Calls Shooting “Tragedy of Errors”

Pace Law Professor Randolph McLaughlin, an established civil rights attorney who is representing the Chamberlain family, discussed with The Journal News how the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin has helped bring Chamberlain’s death into the national spotlight, calling Chamberlain’s death a “tragedy of error.”

Click here to watch a video of the editorial spotlight on LoHud.com

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