Lawyers for mother, widow of graduation shooting victims speak days after suing RPS

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Tameeka Jackson-Smith, the mother of 18-year-old Shawn Jackson and widow of 36-year-old Lorenzo Smith, has filed two federal wrongful death lawsuits against Richmond Public Schools (RPS) and Richmond City School Board. Today, for the first time, her lawyers answered questions about the lawsuits, which seek a total of $26 million in damages.

Jackson and Smith were shot and killed last year after Huguenot High School’s graduation ceremony outside of the Altria Theater. Jackson-Smith’s lawsuit, which seeks $26 million in damages, alleges that the school district, which was aware of threats against Jackson’s life, failed in its duty to protect him during the event.

These lawsuits come just months after Amari Pollard, who was 19 at the time, pleaded guilty to the murder of Shawn Jackson. It is not known who shot and killed Smith.

According to Jackson-Smith and her legal team, the district’s negligence is evident in the decision to allow Jackson, who was part of the RPS Homebound Program and did not have clearance for in-person attendance, to be present at the ceremony.

“Once they squeezed Shawn Jackson into that graduation knowing that he had previous threats against his life, they had a duty to protect him,” said Brian Telfair, a legal representative for Jackson-Smith.

This discovery was part of a third-party investigation by Sands Anderson which revealed multiple security lapses at the event, including that Jackson was not authorized to attend the graduation in person.

Brian Telfair, representing Jackson-Smith, criticized the school district’s failure to inform security personnel or police officers about the threats against Jackson. Telfair emphasized that there were several precautionary measures that could have been taken to ensure Jackson’s safety.

“You knew he was in danger, you knew that he was in jeopardy but you didn’t even tell any of the police officers, any of the security officers, that he was there,” Telfair said in reference to the school district. “There’s certain things that could’ve been done that weren’t [done]. After that ceremony ended, they could’ve just put him in a room and said, ‘once the crowd dissipates, you can go. We’ll get you into a car.’ That didn’t happen.”

Jackson-Smith is seeking damages totaling $15.35 million for Jackson’s death — $15 million in survival and wrongful death damages, as well as $350,000 in punitive damages. She is also suing for funeral, burial and loss of financial support expenses, among other legal fees.

In the lawsuit regarding Smith’s death, the complaint lays out similar accusations that his life was similarly risked by the negligence of school officials. On Smith’s behalf, Jackson-Smith is suing for the same kind of expenses and fees as she is for Jackson — however, she is seeking $11 million in survival and wrongful death damages in her late husband’s case alongside $350,000 in punitive damages.

RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras, former Huguenot High School Principal Robert Gilstrap, former Huguenot High School Assistant Principal Kevin Olds and Huguenot High School Guidance Counselor Monique Harris are named as defendants alongside the school board.

According to the court documents, Jackson-Smith is seeking a trial by jury.

8News reached out to Richmond Public Schools, which declined to comment.

This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.

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