After interview blaming her victim, Judge reprimands Tulsa police officer, Betty Shelby, accused of killing Terence Crutcher for going on ’60 Minutes’ to say he caused his own death
Judge reprimands Tulsa police officer accused of killing Terence Crutcher for ’60 Minutes’ interview
Judge Doug Drummond issued formal rebuke to Officer Betty Shelby Thursday,
Says further publicity could jeopardize the chance of conducting an impartial trial
five-year force veteran Shelby went on ’60 Minutes’, Sunday, and blamed the victim, Terence Crutcher, for his own death
The cop said Crutcher, 40, caused his own death by his drug-induced behavior
Shelby has pled to first-degree manslaughter
She faces life in prison if convicted
‘He died because of his drug behaviour’: Tulsa police officer Betty Shelby went on “60 Minutes” Sunday, blamed the unarmed man she shot while he was by his stalled vehicle
Tulsa officer Betty Jo Shelby gave her first interview since the Sept. 16 shooting to CBS’ “60 Minutes” on Sunday. She essentially stated that Terence Crutcher he caused his own death, blaming her shooting on Crutcher’s drug-induced behavior. A variation of her initial reasoning of in which she states ‘I was afraid he could have a gun in his pocket. He’s got very loose clothing on’.
An autopsy later showed Crutcher had PCP in his system, but investigations did not reveal the presence of a weapon on the victim or in his car.
Judge Doug Drummond issued the formal rebuke Thursday, cautioning attorneys that further publicity could jeopardize the chance of conducting an impartial trial.
“It is obvious this case has drawn significant media interest nationwide since the beginning,” Drummond wrote in the five-page order. “The court is, at a minimum, hopeful that all parties … recognize that pretrial publicity potentially hampers prospects for a fair and impartial trial for both sides.”
Terence Crutcher, 40, was fatally shot in by officer Shelby in Tulsa, last Sept,16. Crutcher had his hands up and was backing away when officer Shelby shot him, then watched him bleed out
Although multiple police cameras, including those mounted in squad cars and in a helicopter, captured the Crutcher shooting on tape, the circumstances that prompted Shelby to shoot the unarmed man who was backing away from officers towards his SUV has never been made clear.
The hazy circumstances of the shooting prompted state and federal investigations leading indictment and the current trial for wrongful death, an outcome actively pursued by the victim’s twin sister Tiffany Crutcher.
Police video shows Terence Crutcher being pursued by officers as he walks towards an SUV in Tulsa, Okla on Sept 16, 2016. Minutes later, Officer Turnbough tased him while his partner officer Shelby, simultaneously shot him with her sidearm
Asked by CBS journalist Bill Whitaker, how she felt about the death of Terence Crutcher, Shelby replied: “I have sorrow that this happened that this man lost his life but he caused the situation to occur. So in the end, he caused his own,” she added.
Tulsa Officer Betty Shelby leaves court after entering a not-guilty plea last December
“I’m feeling that his intent is to do me harm and I keep thinking, ‘Don’t do this. Please don’t do this. Don’t make this happen,'” said Shelby, who has pleaded not guilty to first-degree manslaughter and goes on trial May 8.
Terence Crutcher [right], and his twin sister Tiffany. She is pressing for justice in the police shooting of her brother
Shelby told Whitaker that she remembers pulling the trigger.
“It’s like slow motion of me bringing my gun up, my finger coming in and then letting off. And he stopped and then he just slowly fell to the ground,” she said.
Prosecutors contend that Shelby overreacted because Crutcher wasn’t armed or combative when she approached him on a north Tulsa street after his SUV broke down. They say he obeyed orders to raise his hands. After the shooting, investigators determined that Crutcher didn’t have a weapon on him or in his SUV.
The shooting was caught on video from a police helicopter and a dashboard camera. Footage showed Crutcher walking away from Shelby with his arms in the air, but the images don’t provide a clear view of when Shelby fired the single shot.
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