Grand jury to review details of deadly east Houston chase

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Cheryl Shephard wanted her son to pull over during Wednesday's dramatic police chase. He didn't, but she doesn't think her son should be dead.

"He didn't want to die, he and I had had a very good conversation (on the phone). He never wanted to die, never, never, never," said the grieving Shephard.

She was accompanied at a news conference by community activist Quanell X and several other family members.

The group wants a grand jury convened to go over exactly what happened during the chase. Quanell X says Frank "Trey" Shephard should not have run from officers, but he questions whether deadly force was necessary.

"He was running from the police because he was afraid they were going to shoot him, he was afraid that if he stopped, they would use his weapon to fire on him," Quanell X said.

"He had no weapons in his hands. My heart is just saddened, and I pray even for the man who shot my son," said mom Cheryl Shephard.

On Thursday, Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland defended his officers.

"We got to focus the behavior on Mr. Shepherd," said the Chief. "He dictated the actions on the police officers, and Mr. Shepherd struck those innocent motorists, no one from the Houston Police did."

Of the several cars he hit, one was driven by teenager Andrea Espino. Home from the hospital, the young woman is grateful to be recovering.

"I just remember waking up and stuck in the middle of the road and wondering why I was here," remembered Espino. "I had no idea what was happening ... I'm so grateful," she continued, as tears rolled down her face.

The chief says the Harris County Sheriff's Office, which had jurisdiction at the point where the chase ended, will conduct a full investigation.

McClelland says HPD is cooperating fully, but until the investigation is complete and the grand jury's work is done, he cannot comment on the specific aspects of the investigation.