Calin Devonte Roquemore
Birth date:
October 20, 1992
Death date:
February 13, 2016
Age at Death:
23
About
Calin Devonte Roquemore, known as "Big Friendly" to his peers, was born and raised in Tatum, Texas, and died in Longview, Texas, where he was living at the time of his death. Known for having a big, kind heart, Calin is mourned by his mother Betty Roquemore, and many family members including aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings.
While driving on a two lane country road in East Texas, Calin Roquemore saw a white state trooper trying to pull him over. Afraid to pull over as he had been speeding, Calin instead drove quickly away with the officer in pursuit, a chase which ended with Calin jumping out of his truck and fleeing on foot. The officer pursued him on foot, and finally shot him seven times, including five times in the back, killing him. As he lay dying, Calin, unarmed, told the officer that he had run because he was afraid, adding, "I didn't think you were going to shoot."
Was justice served?
As of February 2, 2021, justice has not been served. Although the United States Supreme Court ruled in Tennessee v. Garner (1985) that using deadly force on an unarmed suspect who is fleeing on foot is prohibited, the officer is still free after a predominantly white grand jury recommended no action, though the only two African Americans on the jury and one additional juror did vote to indict. Because the officer claimed that he thought Calin had a weapon, he was not disciplined following an internal review.