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NAACP vows to continue marches in Richmond man’s death

Associated Press | 12/18/2015, 4:59 a.m.
Black leaders marched in Virginia last Saturday to protest the death of an 46-year-old Richmond man who died in police ...

The Associated Press

SOUTH BOSTON

Black leaders marched in Virginia last Saturday to protest the death of an 46-year-old Richmond man who died in police custody after officers shocked him repeatedly with stun guns, and they vowed to continue marching until they believe that justice has been served.

Dozens of members of the NAACP and other supporters gathered in South Boston, where three police officers used stun guns multiple times on Linwood Lambert Jr., whom they had taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.

The group is calling on the county prosecutor to swiftly complete her investigation into Mr. Lambert’s death, said Kevin Chandler, head of the Halifax/South Boston NAACP. They also want an independent investigator to be appointed and have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to get involved.

Mr. Chandler said the group plans to continue marching every week until their voices are heard.

“We want something done. Nobody is talking,” he told The Associated Press. Mr. Lambert’s sister, Gwendolyn Smalls of Richmond, has been marching since last month.

Videos of the officers shocking Mr. Lambert that were released last month sparked new interest in the 2013 case, which Halifax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Tracy Quackenbush Martin says remains under investigation. Ms. Martin has said that she wants to ensure she makes the correct decision and has declined to say when her investigation might be complete.

Neither Ms. Martin nor the police department immediately responded to a request for comment.

The officers had taken Mr. Lambert into custody after they responded to a noise complaint at a motel and took him to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, according to court documents. He ran from the officers at the hospital, and instead of taking him to the ER, they took Mr. Lambert to jail.

The video shows the police officers repeatedly shocking Mr. Lambert with a Taser while he was outside the hospital and inside the police car.

An ambulance later took him back to the same hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He had told the officers that he had taken drugs and an autopsy report said that Mr. Lambert died of “acute cocaine intoxication.”

The officers have said in court documents that they used appropriate and necessary use of force.

Mr. Lambert’s sister, who joined Saturday’s march, has filed a $25 million lawsuit against the department and the three officers. The group marched from the motel where Mr. Lambert was taken into custody, to the police station and the emergency room Mr. Chandler said.