A Multnomah County grand jury has decided not to bring criminal charges against the Portland police officers involved in the death of Damon Lamarr Johnson, a 52-year-old Navy veteran who died during a welfare check in June. The decision has renewed community debate over police practices, mental health responses, and accountability.
Grand Jury Findings
Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez announced Thursday that Johnson’s death was caused by prone restraint and cardiac arrest, with acute methamphetamine intoxication listed as a contributing factor. Because of these findings, prosecutors said the officers’ actions did not meet the threshold for criminal charges.
“The death of Damon Lamar Johnson is a profound tragedy for his family,” Vasquez said. “It’s a profound tragedy for our community and for really everyone that was involved.”
Also Read
Family Responds: “It Doesn’t Excuse Their Actions”
Johnson’s sister told KOIN 6 News she was heartbroken by the decision and believed her brother’s life had been overshadowed by policy discussions rather than justice.
“I’m disappointed in the verdict,” she said in a statement. “I feel like a lot of policy got in the way of what should have been the consideration of a loss of life. They are speaking to some type of intoxication on my brother’s behalf. I really don’t think that excuses their actions.”
She added that her brother’s death felt like “another case of a Black man killed at the hands of police that is justifiable to them.”
Body Camera Footage Raised Public Outcry
The incident occurred on June 27, when officers responded to Johnson’s Kenton Neighborhood apartment for a welfare check. According to police, he was experiencing a mental health crisis.
Body camera footage released weeks later showed Johnson facedown and handcuffed for several minutes while officers struggled to take him into custody. Shortly after being placed on a mental health hold, he stopped breathing. He later died at a hospital.
The footage sparked widespread public concern and intensified scrutiny of police use of prone restraint, particularly on people in distress.
Officers Returning to Duty During Internal Review
The three officers involved — J.P. Duque Valencia, Travis Wortman, and Jason Epton — had been on paid leave for four months. Following the grand jury decision, Portland Police Chief Bob Day said they would return to in-house assignments while an internal review continues.
“I have not made a decision about whether or not this is within policy,” Day noted. “Their return should not be seen as a determination of whether or not it’s within policy.”
When asked whether he would consider restricting or eliminating prone restraint, Chief Day did not commit to any specific changes.
Advocates: Decision Reflects Systemic Issues
Mental health and civil rights advocates said the outcome was upsetting but not surprising.
Jason Renaud of the Mental Health Association of Portland said, “I don’t think there’s been an Oregon district attorney that’s fully prosecuted a police officer for lethal use of force in the history of the state.”
Renaud questioned whether the Portland Police Bureau would learn from this incident.
Juan Chavez, who leads the Civil Rights Project at the Oregon Justice Resource Center, criticized the structure of police-involved death investigations.
“I think that is a fundamental flaw in the way we do officer investigations in this state,” he said. Chavez argued that allowing district attorneys to rely on officers from the same agency being investigated creates conflicts of interest.
Concerns Over Mental Health Response
Advocates say Johnson’s death highlights persistent gaps in Portland’s response to people experiencing mental health crises.
Both Chavez and Renaud raised concerns about entering Johnson’s apartment without medical professionals present and using a prone restraint position on someone who appeared agitated and potentially in medical danger.
Chavez explained that restraint can rapidly worsen existing medical problems. “If you put them in a prone position like that, they are going to have difficulty breathing, and it could lead to cardiac arrest,” he said.
City Officials Call for Change
Portland City Councilor Sameer Kanal released a statement expressing deep frustration with the outcome.
“If the Portland Police had never entered Damon Lamarr Johnson’s apartment, he would still be alive today,” Kanal wrote.
He said the case exemplifies longstanding issues involving excessive force used on people in crisis and the disproportionate impact on Black and brown communities.
“Another unarmed Black man whose life was needlessly taken, and yet another grand jury has declined to file charges,” Kanal said. “Until there is accountability for the harm caused, we will not see true trust.”
A Community Still Seeking Answers
Johnson’s death has left many in Portland questioning police procedures, training, and the city’s approach to mental health calls. While the grand jury’s ruling closes the door on criminal charges, internal reviews, policy discussions, and community conversations are expected to continue for months.
For Johnson’s family, the decision offers no sense of justice.
“It’s a loss of life,” his sister said. “And nothing about this verdict changes that.”
