Attorneys for the family of Damon S. Stern, who was fatally shot by police in March, held a press conference Thursday afternoon to release body camera footage of the shooting and announce a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Reading. The family’s legal team claims the footage contradicts the police and district attorney’s accounts and argues that Stern’s death was preventable.
At the press conference, attorneys Kevin O’Brien and Shaka Johnson of Stampone O’Brien Dilsheimer Holloway, presented the family’s version of events leading up to the shooting, as captured on the body-worn camera footage now available to the public. According to O’Brien, the footage shows a very different scenario from what has been portrayed by authorities.
The shooting, which occurred on March 25, 2024, involved two Reading police officers responding to a 911 call regarding Stern, who was reportedly suicidal and armed with a knife. According to the Berks County District Attorney’s office, Stern advanced on officers with a knife, ignoring commands to drop the weapon, leading to the fatal shooting.
However, Johnson argued that the footage and Stern’s mental health history tell a different story. Stern, who had a long history of mental health struggles, was reportedly not a danger to others, according to his wife, Carmen Stern, who made the 911 call seeking help for her husband. “This was a man in crisis, and they were aware of that before they even arrived,” Johnson said.
The body cam footage shows Stern walking towards the door after police arrived, without any overtly aggressive movements. Johnson emphasized that Stern, who was wearing headphones, may not have heard the officers’ commands clearly. Flashlights shining in the dark hallway disoriented him as he walked toward the door where the officers were standing.
Johnson stated that police, instead of using de-escalation techniques appropriate for a mental health crisis, put themselves in a situation where the only response was lethal force. “The police didn’t come here to help—they came here, and in the end, they killed him,” Johnson said.
The family’s legal team also announced their intent to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Reading in federal court. O’Brien emphasized that the lawsuit seeks justice not only for Stern but also aims to push for better police training and crisis response. “Carmen didn’t call 911 to have her husband killed—she called for help,” O’Brien added.
District Attorney’s Findings:
The family’s claims stand in direct opposition to the conclusions reached by Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams. In his earlier investigation, Adams cleared the officers involved, stating that they acted in self-defense. The DA’s office claimed Stern had raised a knife and advanced toward the officers, creating a life-threatening situation that justified the use of deadly force.
According to Adams, the officer who fired the shots was protecting not only himself but also another officer and the complainant, later revealed to be Stern’s wife, Carmen. The investigation concluded that the officer’s actions were justified under Pennsylvania law, which allows for deadly force when an individual poses an imminent threat to others.
Community Response:
The family’s legal team expressed frustration that despite the high-profile nature of the case, neither the City of Reading nor members of its City Council have reached out to them. Shaka Johnson criticized local officials for their lack of engagement, stating, “No one from the police department, no one from City Council, not a single entity has reached out to this family. At some point, there’s a thing called decency.”
Despite a meeting with District Attorney Adams, the family emphasized the silence from other city officials, highlighting what they see as a lack of compassion or responsibility. O’Brien remarked that the family, including Carmen, has received no personal outreach from the police department or local government since the incident.
Moving Forward:
The wrongful death lawsuit, expected to be filed in the coming weeks, seeks accountability for Stern’s death and aims to drive systemic changes within the Reading Police Department. The family and their legal team hope to prevent future tragedies by improving how police officers respond to mental health crises. “These are good, common, decent people who are hardworking, United States military veterans. They deserve better. And they didn’t get it that day, because of the City of Reading’s failures,” O’Brien concluded.
Update: Mayor Eddie Morán issued a statement Friday afternoon addressing claims by the Stern family legal team:
“At their recent press conference, the team of lawyers representing the Stern Family made clear that they would be suing the City and Police Department, and incorrectly reported that neither I as Mayor, nor as a person, had expressed my condolences to the Stern Family as to Damon Stern’s death. This is simply not true. I personally extended my heartfelt condolences to the family during an event where I encountered them and communicated directly with a relative of the Stern family. The fact that District Attorney John Adams, after a thorough independent investigation, concluded that our officers justifiably protected their lives when they were forced to use deadly force, doesn’t make this any less tragic or painful to all involved, I again express my heartfelt condolences and prayers to the Stern Family, not only on behalf of the City, but personally as a father and husband myself.
With the impending litigation, I am unable to comment any further, nor am I able to meet with the Stern Family as they are represented by legal counsel.”
