Parson frees Eric DeValkenaere, first Kansas City cop convicted of killing a Black man

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Friday commuted the prison sentence of former Kansas City police detective Eric DeValkenaere, the first Kansas City officer ever convicted of killing a Black man, an explosive decision that will infuriate residents and risk damaging the state’s relationship with the city. Parson announced the commutation in the twilight of his time in office, offering the clemency on the Friday afternoon ahead of Christmas holiday week. The Republican governor, a former Polk County sheriff who styles himself an ally of law enforcement, had...