Chamberlain shooting: Son of slain White Plains man, lawyers meet with feds

Richard Liebson

Kenneth Chamberlain Jr. and his lawyers met with officials from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan this afternoon to discuss their probe into the death of Chamberlain's father, 68-year-old Kenneth Chamberlain Sr., who was shot and killed at his apartment on Nov. 19 by city police responding to a medical alert call.

"I can confirm that we met with the U.S. Attorney's Office, and that I thought it was a productive meeting," said Mayo Bartlett, one of the attorneys representing the Chamberlain family. He said Randolph McLaughlin, another family lawyer, was also at the conference, along with the younger Chamberlain.

Bartlett would not comment further, saying those present had agreed not to discuss details of the meeting. The U.S. Attorney's Office had no comment.

Federal attorneys last month announced that they would "review all of the available evidence" in the death of the elder Chamberlain a day after a Westchester County grand jury voted May 3 not to indict any of the officers involved in the incident that took his life.

The family had been calling for an independent investigation for several months.

Chamberlain Sr. was shot following an hourlong standoff that began when his medical alert device was accidentally activated. Chamberlain, who had a chronic heart condition, had been drinking, but insisted to police that he was OK.

Audio tapes of the incident show that he was acting erratically and threatened to kill police, who said they were not sure whether anyone else was in his 135 S. Lexington Ave. apartment who might be in danger. Officers broke down his door and later said he attacked them with a hatchet and a knife and was not stopped after he was shot with a stun gun and bean bags. Officer Anthony Carelli shot and killed him, police said, after Chamberlain tried to stab another officer.

The family and Westchester District Attorney Janet DiFiore said one of the cops used a racial slur during the standoff. The family is calling for the cops involved to be indicted on federal civil rights charges. They are expected to file a civil lawsuit against the city and the police within the next few weeks.

(published 6/20/12)

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Inquiries about this case may be directed to Newman Ferrara attorney, Professor Randolph McLaughlin, at 212-619-5400.