ON DECEMBER 2, 2022, EDDIE VALDIVIA WAS ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES AFTER A WEEK-LONG JURY TRIAL. HE CAN NOW RETURN TO THE CAREER HE LOVES.
FBI Supervisory Special Agent Eddie Valdivia was just commuting to work at FBI Headquarters on the DC Metro subway when he was suddenly confronted with an aggressive convicted criminal. What happened next would threaten to send Eddie to prison for decades.
Supervisory Special Agent Eddie Valdivia is a stand-up law enforcement officer who has spent over 10 years in the FBI where he investigates and helps eliminate threats of domestic terrorism.
When Eddie was nearly attacked by a convicted criminal on his way to work one morning, he had no choice but to take swift action to defend himself and his fellow passengers.
Now, his entire career might soon come crashing down – and he could be locked up for decades if he is wrongly convicted.
Early in the morning of December 15th, 2020, Eddie boarded the subway train station to head into work at FBI Headquarters in Washington D.C.
Little did he know at the time, his commute that morning would be anything but normal.
A few stops into Eddie’s commute, a man named Steven Slaughter got on the train, sat next to him, and aggressively demanded that Eddie give him money. Eddie refused – and Slaughter immediately started cursing him out and hurling racial insults. Eventually, Slaughter calmed down – but only for a brief moment.
A few minutes later, Slaughter again confronted Eddie – and this time he was looking for a fight.
You see, Eddie Valdivia is an expert when it comes to assessing threats.
As an experienced law enforcement agent, he recognized that he was about to be assaulted by a much larger man who may be under the influence of drugs. He also knew that he was armed and, if he became incapacitated, he could be disarmed and killed.
With that in mind – and the fact that Slaughter had backed him into the corner of the train car – Eddie knew he would have to take action to stop this possibly unstable convicted criminal from hurting him and perhaps others.
So, when Eddie realized that he was about to be assaulted by Slaughter, he pulled out his service weapon and fired three times.
As soon as the train stopped at the next station, they got off the train car and Eddie told a nearby witness to call 911 so that Slaughter could get urgent medical help.
But the most shocking part of the entire incident happened later when Eddie found out he was charged with Attempted Second Degree Murder and felony assault.
Eddie had no choice but to defend himself when he was cornered and threatened by a deranged criminal – and yet somehow, he is the one who might spend decades in prison for it.
Because this incident occurred in the subway system of our nation’s capital, there is plenty of video evidence to support what actually happened that morning. There was even a witness on the train that morning who saw this dangerous confrontation.
And perhaps worse than that is the fact that Slaughter has a long record of criminal behavior.
In fact, he’s been convicted at least nine times with indecent exposure and sexually deviant behavior. And has many other convictions for drug possession, assault, and resisting arrest. Yet, he remained out on the streets looking for more victims. Instead, he met FBI Special Agent Eddie Valdivia first.
Slaughter is even on the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) watch list for committing these kinds of offenses frequently on the train.
So aside from the fact that Eddie did what he had to do to avoid being hurt or killed that morning – it’s preposterous that he is the one facing prison time instead of the criminal who started this incident and has the record to back it up.
The LELDF will work tirelessly to support Eddie Valdivia’s defense.
