Judge issues verdict in favor of U. S. in wrongful death lawsuit against DEA

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today a complete defense verdict in Richardson v. United States, a wrongful death lawsuit brought against the United States of America under the Federal Tort Claims Act. The lawsuit arose after a federal agent employed deadly force to stop an imminent threat posed by an armed, aggressive individual.

On Sept. 10, 2026, judgment was entered in favor of the United States following a three-day bench trial before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark. The trial concluded on April 30, 2026. 

The incident occurred on Nov. 2, 2020, while two Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were conducting surveillance at a Springfield apartment complex. After observing behavior indicative of drug transactions, the agents followed a rented U-Haul pickup truck from the apartment complex to a residential home. The driver of the U-Haul met two other individuals at the home, including the decedent, Mr. Caleb Slay.

When one of the agents contacted Mr. Slay, Mr. Slay shouted an expletive at him while walking away. Mr. Slay then returned to engage in a brief conversation with the agent, at which point it was learned that Mr. Slay was armed with a handgun. Mr. Slay began fighting the agents upon their attempt to detain him for their safety. During the altercation, with one agent lying on his back underneath Mr. Slay, Slay reached his right hand toward his right rear waistband. One agent described the reach as a “quick gesture” to the waistband, where Slay’s hand paused. This indicated to the agent that Slay was attempting to “establish a grip on the gun.” The agent who discharged his firearm provided a warning prior to the shooting.

The court ruled that the plaintiff failed to prove the DEA agent used more force than was reasonably necessary. The court emphasized that use-of-force decisions must be evaluated from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene making split-second judgments in tense, uncertain situations, rather than with the benefit of hindsight.

Federal law enforcement agents place their lives on the line to enforce the laws of this nation. As such, the Department of Justice is committed to defending justified uses of force. The court’s ruling reinforces that commitment.

This case is being defended by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wyatt R. Nelson and Christa B. Moss, Deputy Civil Chief, of the Western District of Missouri. The case was investigated by the Springfield Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.