Criminal justice advocates across Kansas City have speculated that Gov. Mike Parson might pardon Eric DeValkenaere, the former Kansas City Police detective who was convicted in 2021 for killing Cameron Lamb.
Parson told Up To Date's Steve Kraske that he hasn't sat down to discuss a potential pardon. He said that the legal process has to work out before he comes into play — DeValkenaere is currently appealing his conviction.
“It’s been unfortunate,” Parson said of the speculation. “I think a lot of people got spun up by that, elected officials up there are kinda claiming that. But the reality of it is that I haven’t had a conversation about that.”
Parson also criticized the new gun laws recently passed by Kansas City Council, outlawing certain modified firearms and prohibiting the transferring of weapons and ammo to minors.
"You can't supersede state law, just like I can't supersede federal law. I wish I could sometimes, there's lots of things I'd like to change," Parson said. "The reality is that it needs to go in front of the General Assembly or needs to be voted on by the people to make those changes."
In 2021, Parson signed into law the "Second Amendment Preservation Act," which penalized law enforcement for enforcing federal gun restrictions. However, that law was ruled unconstitutional.
- Mike Parson - Governor of Missouri
