Richland County grand jury clears officers in shooting

MANSFIELD – A Richland County grand jury met Monday and cleared Mansfield police in an officer-involved shooting death that happened in Mansfield in September.

"The grand jury did not find probable cause to indict the officers involved. Therefore, the case was no billed," said Jill DelGreco, spokeswoman for the Ohio Attorney General's Office.

Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation records into the case will now be available to the public, she said.

The News Journal has previously requested the full investigative file and soon will receive the records and the prosecutor's summary.

DeGreco said earlier that the attorney general's Special Prosecutions Section was overseeing the case involving the late Shane Lambert and would take it to a grand jury.

During a search of a vacant house in Mansfield, two officers confronted and fatally shot Norwalk resident Shane Lambert. Lambert was wanted for questioning in the death of 57-year-old Norwalk resident James Berens.

A Mansfield police administrative review of actions taken by the two officers found they acted in accordance with department policy.

Mansfield police Sgt. Patrick Williams and Officer Orlando Chatman were cleared to return to work last fall, according to a release issued by the Mansfield Police Department.

Both officers were placed on administrative leave as part of standard department procedure.

Earlier, Mansfield police Chief Kenny Coontz said details on what happened during the shooting would be released after the grand jury was dismissed.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

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