HOUSTON — A grand jury on Wednesday decided to take no action on potential charges against Shane Privette, the Houston police officer who shot and killed Jalen Randle in 2022.
The decision means that the case will be considered "unresolved" and presented to another grand jury "as soon as is practical," according to the Harris County District Attorney's Office.
All officer-involved shootings are presented to a 12-person grand jury to determine if criminal charges are warranted. If nine or more jurors agree that probable cause exists, they issue a "true bill," or indictment, and the case moves on through the criminal justice system. If nine or more jurors do not believe probable cause exists, they could issue a "no bill." In this case, the jurors took no action, meaning it's considered unresolved and will be presented to a different grand jury at a later time.
The DA's office said the next grand jury would likely hear the case in May.
What happened
On April 27, 2022, the Houston Police Department's Narcotics Tactical Team was looking for Randle, who was wanted on three felony warrants. Randle got into the passenger seat of a car and the driver refused to stop for police. After a short pursuit, Randle got out of the car.
Body cam video shows Privette command Randle to show his hands and open fire as the last words left his mouth. About two seconds after Randle left the car, he was shot in the neck and killed.
A gun was later found in the bag that Randle was holding when he was shot.
The video may be disturbing to watch and contains violent scenes. You can view the videos on the HPD YouTube page.
The driver of the car, E.J. Robertson, was charged with misdemeanor fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. His case was dismissed.
Reaction to decision
Randle's father spoke after learning about the grand jury's decision.
"This jury wasn't the right one to make the decision. God sends the right people at the right time. Always remember that. That's it," Warren Randle said.
The Randle family is represented by prominent Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump. He released a statement after the jury's decision.
"The family of Jalen Randle is appreciative of DA Ogg's efforts to get justice for Jalen. We are hopeful that next week's grand jury presentation will help the family and community heal with a just outcome," the statement said.
Houston Police Officers' Union President Doug Griffith said Privette is disappointed but still maintains he did nothing wrong.
"He's disappointed, but he also knows that he looks forward to sitting before another grand jury and giving testimony to the fact that he did nothing wrong that day. And again, we support him 100% and look forward to that day," Griffith said.