Just over a week after a civil jury awarded what may be the single greatest victory against a Missouri law enforcement officer, the family of the man killed speaks up for the first time.
“I just opened the door, hugged her, and fell into her arms, saying, ‘It’s your brother, isn’t it? She answered, “Yes, they killed him.” Keri Groves, the mother of Allen Cates’ children, made this statement.
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“This officer violated numerous safety rules, his training, and his orders that day,” Chad Gardner, the Cates’ family attorney, stated.
The victims got a total of $10 million, but no amount of money can ever replace the father who died.
Ring-door video of the incident shows and hears Allen Cates being gunned down by Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy Tyler Naudet.
“I thought I could forgive him, but just being in there and seeing his reactions to everything showed that he didn’t care what he did. I can’t be the judge; he’ll have to face our maker one day, and that’s who he should be terrified of,” Groves stated.
On that June evening in 2019, Independence police conducted a sting operation on Cates, who had many felony warrants but was known to be a nonviolent criminal.
Naudet was the sole law enforcement officer to discharge his firearm. According to the testimony of several Independence police officers, Naudet broke the boundary and performed the exact opposite of what he was meant to do.
Chad Gardner, a former police officer and Cates family attorney, calls it heinous behavior.
“Policing is a profession, and we expect professionals to maintain their standards. When there’s such a gross deviation, we expect there to be ramifications and change,” Gardner explained.
A passenger in the vehicle was also injured. A civil jury awarded her $3 million, while Allen Cates’ two sons received $7 million.
“It’s a huge loss for them. I think every boy needs their father, and at some point, there’s only so much a mom can do and teach,” Groves commented.
“After a legal evaluation of the incident, Deputy Naudet remains employed. I am unable to comment on current litigation. Respectfully, no other statements will be made.
This case is expected to be challenged, so it’s unclear when the healing process for this family will begin.
