The Tulsa, Okla., police officer who shot and killed Terence Crutcher, an unarmed black motorist, but was later acquitted of manslaughter in the controversial case will be allowed to return to the police force for active duty, Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan announced Friday.
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If your brain cannot process what is happening, welcome to the club. The privilege in that entire opening paragraph is suffocating.
According to the Tulsa World, Jordan confirmed that Shelby will be returning to work, although she “will not be assigned in a patrol capacity.”
I suppose that is meant to make us feel better ... or safer?
As the World notes, Tulsa’s chapter of Black Lives Matter had called for Shelby to be fired. A juror later published a statement to another Tulsa publication, The Frontier, claiming that the jury asked Jordan that Shelby not be allowed to patrol, the World notes.
According to News9, the juror said the state’s prosecution “was shoddy” and that prosecutors could have secured a conviction of Shelby “had they done a better job.”
“I don’t think she’s a bad person,” the juror, who requested anonymity, said. “She just shouldn’t be a cop.”
According to the Associated Press, Shelby’s attorney Shannon McMurray said Thursday that she was unsure whether her client would even want to return to the Tulsa police force, because, the attorney said, it might be dangerous for Shelby to return to the streets.
“She’s going to self-guess herself and get herself killed or somebody else,” McMurray said.
On Thursday morning, both Jordan and Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum hosted a news conference to discuss Shelby’s not-guilty verdict in the manslaughter trial, according to the World.
At that time, Jordan acknowledged that Shelby’s employment was being evaluated by the city and police legal and human resources departments.
“We know we’ve had failings,” Jordan said, emphasizing his department’s commitment to implement community policing. “We understand that, and we’re committed absolutely to making a better relationship where we ensure trust and ensure cooperation in our community.”
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