A Nashville, Tenn. former police officer pleaded guilty on Friday to fatally shooting a Black man in the back, but as far as the victim’s family is concerned, there is no justice. The three-year prison sentence was not enough punishment in their minds for Andrew Delke, 27, who killed Daniel Hambrick, 25, in 2018.
Hambrick’s mother Vickie Hambrick rejected the plea deal. She lashed out in court during a distraught, furious statement, knocking down the podium in the process. She detailed a list of loved ones who died since the shooting, blaming it on Delke. She said she was going to smack “the shit” out of him, rejected his apology, and called him a “Ku Klux Klan motherfucker.”
“I think that’s enough,” the judge said.
Hambrick didn’t listen.
The proceeding broke down in chaos.
“We didn’t get a chance,” said one man, identified by a WPLN reporter as Daniel Hambrick’s cousin Sam.
Utter chaos in the courtroom. Delke has been whisked out of the room as Vickie sobs and whimpers, “I’m gonna get you motherfucker.” “We didn’t get a chance,” Daniel’s cousin, Sam tells. pic.twitter.com/hiQfWJGuAR
— Samantha Max (@samanthaellimax) July 2, 2021
The mother’s attorney, Joy Kimbrough, said in court that the district attorney did not consult with her client about the plea deal.
Kimbrough says the DA did not consult her client about the deal and that it had already been decided by white men. She says the judge has the power to reject this plea deal and say “not on my watch.” “The citizens are begging you.”
— Samantha Max (@samanthaellimax) July 2, 2021
Delke shot Hambrick twice in the back and once in the back of the head while the victim was armed but running from the officer.
[Warning: Video is disturbing.]
Davidson County District Attorney Glenn R. Funk told reporters in court that he spoke to Vickie Hambrick before the hearing. In his version of the events, he made the decision regarding the plea deal on Wednesday night, told the family’s attorney, and offered to meet with Vickie Hambrick. They met on Thursday, and he explained his reasoning. He implied that she rejected the plea deal.
“She immediately reacted because she has lost her son,” he said. Responding to criticism of the plea deal, Funk maintained that it was consistent with how his office handles cases.
A trial for first-degree murder was set to begin July 12. The defense reached out this week asking for probation, he said. But Funk said he pushed for a prison sentence. He decided to accept a plea deal because he said he did not want to risk losing a felony conviction, and he wanted Delke to concede to using unreasonable deadly force, contrary to the police union’s stance that the officer was just “doing his job.” Going to trial meant living with the police union’s narrative and risking the possibility that there would have been no accountability for Delke — in other words, an acquittal, the prosecutor feared.
As part of the plea deal, Delke, who resigned from the department, admitted to voluntary manslaughter.
The shooting was unreasonable under the circumstances, he said. He is responsible for the mother’s loss, he also said.
“These are facts that I will have to live with for the rest of my life, and no mother should ever have to experience the loss of a child,” he said.
Delke said he recognized that his actions impacted the community and the police department.
“I hope this case can contribute positively to the much needed discussion about how police officers are trained and how we as a community want police officers to interact with citizens,” he said.
[Screengrabs via WTVF]
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