La Marque, Texas Police Officer Kills Man With Sword

Information in this post was obtained from a custodial death report filed by the La Marque Police Department in Texas with the Attorney General of Texas.  We do not assert that anyone did anything wrong in this post but are simply providing information.

On or about December 3, 2017, La Marque Police Department officers were called to a scene after Gregory Hamm, 62 years of age, allegedly broke into a neighbor’s home while possessing a sword.  Mr. Hamm allegedly threatened the neighbor with the sword.  Mr. Hamm reportedly then returned to a structure that he used as a residence.  La Marque officers entered the structure with a police K-9 Dog.  Once the K-9 dog located Mr. Hamm, Mr. Hamm allegedly charged at a police officer and swung at him or her with the sword.  The officer then shot Mr. Hamm once and killed him.

Police officers may not, under the objective circumstances at the time of an occurrence, use excessive force.  They must not use deadly force if deadly force is not necessary.  If they do, then claims pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, for violation of the United States Constitution, might be available.

Written By: Dean Malone

Dean Malone

Dean Malone is the founder of Law Offices of Dean Malone, P.C., a jail neglect civil rights law firm. Mr. Malone earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Texas at Dallas, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, and from Baylor University School of Law with a general civil litigation concentration. Mr. Malone served in several staff positions for the Baylor Law Review, including executive editor. Mr. Malone is an experienced trial lawyer, trying a number of cases to jury verdict and also handling arbitrations through final hearing. He heads the jail neglect section of his law firm, in which lawyers litigate cases involving serious injury and death resulting from jail neglect and abuse. Lawyers frequently refer cases to Mr. Malone due to his focus on this very complicated civil rights practice area.