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SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
Article By Associated Press // Empowering Everyday Women Ministries
Tulsa Cop Betty Shelby Charged With Manslaughter
For Executing Terence Crutcher
TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Prosecutors charged a white Oklahoma police officer with first-degree
manslaughter Thursday, less than a week after she fatally shot an unarmed black man on a city street
and just days after police released graphic videos, saying in court documents that the officer "reacted
unreasonably."

Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler charged Tulsa officer Betty Shelby in the Sept. 16
shooting death of 40-year-old Terence Crutcher. Kunzweiler said arrangements were being made for
Shelby's surrender.

Shelby "reacted unreasonably by escalating the situation from a confrontation with Mr. Crutcher, who
was not responding to verbal commands and was walking away from her with his hands held up,
becoming emotionally involved to the point that she over reacted," according to an affidavit filed with
the charge.

The swift action in Tulsa stood in contrast to Charlotte, North Carolina, where police refused under
mounting pressure Thursday to release video of the shooting of another black man this week and the
National Guard was called in to try to a head off a third night of violence. Demonstrations in Tulsa
since Crutcher's death have been consistently peaceful.

Dashcam and aerial footage of the shooting and its aftermath showed Crutcher walking away from
Shelby with his arms in the air. The footage does not offer a clear view of when Shelby fired the single
shot that killed Crutcher. Her attorney has said Crutcher was not following police commands and that
Shelby opened fire when the man began to reach into his SUV window.

But Crutcher's family immediately discounted that claim, saying the father of four posed no threat to
the officers. They also pointed to an enlarged photo from police footage that appears to show
Crutcher's window was rolled up. And police said Crutcher did not have gun on him or in his vehicle.

An affidavit filed Thursday says Shelby told police homicide investigators that "she was in fear for her
life and thought Mr. Crutcher was going to kill her. When she began following Mr. Crutcher to the
vehicle with her duty weapon drawn, she was yelling for him to stop and get on his knees repeatedly."

Crutcher was wearing "baggy clothes" but that Shelby "was not able to see any weapons or bulges
indicating a weapon was present," the affidavit states.

Among the definitions in Oklahoma for first-degree manslaughter is a killing "perpetrated
unnecessarily either while resisting an attempt by the person killed to commit a crime, or after such
attempt shall have failed."

If convicted, Shelby could face a minimum of four years in prison.

Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett said police worked quickly to provide Kunzweiler with the information he
needed to decide whether to charge the officer.

"I appreciate their efforts as well as the District Attorney's usual thorough evaluation of the rules of law
for which we are all accountable," Bartlett said in a written statement. "These are important steps to
ensure that justice and accountability prevails.

"We will continue to be transparent and ensure the system carries out its responsibility to provide
justice."

Shelby, who joined the Tulsa Police Department in December 2011, was en route to a domestic
violence call when she encountered Crutcher's vehicle abandoned on a city street, straddling the
center line. Shelby did not activate her patrol car's dashboard camera, so no footage exists of what
first happened between the two before other officers arrived.

The police footage shows Crutcher approaching the driver's side of the SUV, then more officers walk
up and Crutcher appears to lower his hands and place them on the vehicle. A man inside a police
helicopter overhead says: "That looks like a bad dude, too. Probably on something."

Police Sgt. Dave Walker has said investigators found a vial of the drug PCP in Crutcher's vehicle.
Shelby's attorney, Scott Wood, has said that Shelby completed drug-recognition expert training and
thought Crutcher was acting like he might be under the influence of PCP.

Attorneys for Crutcher's family said the family didn't know whether drugs were found in the SUV, but
that even if they were, it wouldn't justify the shooting.

A toxicology report could take several weeks.

In the videos, the officers surround Crutcher and he suddenly drops to the ground. A voice heard on
police radio says: "Shots fired!" The officers back away and Crutcher is left unattended on the street
for about two minutes before an officer puts on medical gloves and begins to attend to him.

"The tragic circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Crutcher are on the hearts and minds of
many people in this community," Kunzweiler said. "It's important to note that despite the heightened
tensions felt by all, which seemingly beg for an emotional response and reaction, our community has
consistently demonstrated the willingness to respect the judicial process."