Finner, in a statement, cited preliminary autopsy results that he says show the 29-year-old father was shot in the front of the neck. Crump, who represents Randle’s family, had an independent autopsy conducted by Autopsy and Pathology Services, PA in Kingswood. Those results, which were shared with the Houston Chronicle, say that the bullet hit Randle in the back of the neck and left no exit wound.
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The portions of the official autopsy results made public by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences showed that Randle died of a gunshot wound to the neck, but the documents available do not specify a point of entry. The full autopsy has not yet been released to the public, and the agency did not immediately respond to requests for further details.
But the police chief clearly wanted to get out ahead of what he portrayed as “misinformation” being offered by the family’s high-profile lawyer.
“We respect and understand emotions and pain that families who have lost loved ones go through during these investigations. Having said that, the family’s attorney, Mr. Ben Crump, whom I respect as an advocate for justice, is claiming Mr. Randle was shot In the back of the neck or head. That is a false statement. To publicly make such a false claim is irresponsible,” Finner said.
Houston police normally refrain from commenting publicly on police shootings until an internal investigation has been completed. Finner said that while “this is only one component of a comprehensive investigation, it is necessary to correct this misinformation.” He did not respond to a request for further comment.
Crump, in a response shared Tuesday, questioned why Finner wouldn’t release information to back up his statement.
Attorney Ben Crump, who represents Jalen Randle’s family, speaks during a press conference about his killing Thursday, June 2, 2022, at Harris County civil courthouse in Houston. Randle was fatally shot by Houston police officer Shane Privette last month before he had a chance to put his hands up.
Yi Chin Lee / Staff photographer“The Randle family, in the wake of burying Jalen, is now facing the compounded pain of the Houston Police Chief by attempting to discredit legitimate evidence that Jalen was shot in the back of his neck. We have four sources of evidence, including the independent autopsy, the officer’s body camera video, statements made shortly after Jalen’s death by emergency room medical professionals, and statements made by funeral home directors that all conclude Jalen was shot in the back of his neck,” Crump said.
Randle’s family echoed this sentiment and said they were upset that bullet entry wound had become a point of contention.
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“They’re saying he was shot in the front but they’re not showing evidence to back up that statement,” said Jalen Randle’s father, Warren Randle. “And it shouldn’t even matter where he was shot, because they shot an unarmed man. Are they trying to say it was justified because he was shot in the front?”
Body camera footage released last month appears to show Officer Shane Privette fatally shooting Randle, who was wanted on two felony warrants, immediately after the officer exited his patrol vehicle. Before the shooting, he chased Randle briefly in his car through Pleasantville, where Randle grew up.
On Monday, Randle’s family and friends met with Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg and held a protest outside her office to press for murder charges against Privette.
Ogg said that her office will present evidence to a grand jury after the Houston Police Department finishes its internal investigation, and that the jury will decide to indict Privette or not.
sam.kelly@chron.com
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