Randle’s family and civil rights lawyer Ben Crump called for the Harris County District Attorney and the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the shooting.
HOUSTON — The family of Jalen Randle, a man who was shot to death by a Houston police officer during an attempted arrest, is speaking for the first time since a grand jury declined to charge the officer who killed him.
Randle’s family and civil rights lawyer Ben Crump called for the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate.
Police were trying to arrest Randle on three felony warrants in April 2022 related to accusations he assaulted his girlfriend and pointed a gun at her. Body camera video shows Randle hopping out of the passenger’s side seat of a car after a short chase and getting shot once in his neck less than two seconds later as police told him to stop.
Police later found a gun in the bag Randle was holding.
“The video is clear,” said Crump, who is representing Randle’s family in an ongoing civil lawsuit against HPD. “Imagine if that’s your child. It could be any of our children.”
“Today we demand that the officer, Shane Privette, immediately be released from his duties,” Tiffany Rachal, Randle’s mother said. “Criminal charges must be filed by DA Kim Ogg, and we call for an end of use of secret grand juries. These actions will satisfy the people and bring them closer to justice.”
“I want to remember the anguish, the pain, the desperation, and most of all, the betrayal, of an unjust system,” said Warren Randle, Randle’s father.
The first grand jury to hear the case earlier this year declined to take action, so the case was presented again to a second grand jury. Nine or more of 12 grand jurors must agree that probable cause exists before they issue a “true bill,” or indictment, and the case moves on through the criminal justice system.
Ray Hunt, Executive Director of the Houston Police Officers Union, said Monday that despite calls by Randle’s family for Privette to be fired, the officer will keep his job after investigations by Internal Affairs and the Homicide Division cleared him.
“It’s easy for a chief or anybody else to look back at videos and stop and rewind and stop and rewind and stop to determine, but you’re talking about a split-second decision,” said Hunt. “It just sometimes turns out to be a tragedy.”
Hunt told KHOU he’s spoken with Officer Privette since the grand jury’s decision.
“He is relieved that the grand jury has no-billed him and that he’s able to continue with his life,” said Hunt. “It’s just a situation that nobody wants to be in.”
A spokesperson for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office told KHOU directly filing charges is an option, but the case would still then go to a grand jury. He also added the DA’s Office does not comment in advance on whether they will do so.
KHOU reached out Monday afternoon to the U.S. Department of Justice but has not heard back.
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