It seems a new hashtag pops up everyday to remind us that there are innocent Black men being murdered everyday by the hands of those who are hired to protect us.
It’s only been a week since Terence Crutcher‘s name was added to the list but there’s a small bit of hope now that the Tulsa, Oklahoma officer who was caught on tape shooting and killing the unarmed man will now face charges for his murder.
Details below…
It’s official.?Betty Shelby, the White police officer who shot and killed Terence Crutcher has been charged with murder.
She was formally arrested and booked into the Tulsa Jail at 1 a.m. Friday, according to county records. She posted a $50,000 bond and was released from jail 20 minutes after she was booked.
Tulsa District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler filed a ?heat-of-passion? manslaughter charge against officer Betty Shelby, nearly a week after cameras filmed her shooting 40-year-old Terence Crutcher as he stood beside his stalled SUV.
Shelby and several other officers approached Crutcher while he was on the side of the road next to his vehicle.?Crutcher, who was unarmed, kept his hands raised and leaned against the car before being?tasered by officer Tyler Turnbough and eventually killed by Shelby.
Shortly before he was killed, an officer viewing the scene from a helicopter could be heard stating, ?he looks like a bad dude.?
VIDEO: Helicopter Video of Terence Crutcher Shooting
It was definitely a case of racial profiling as?Crutcher?s only crime was being a Black man at the wrong time and place.
Shelby ?reacted unreasonably? and became ?emotionally involved to the point that she overreacted,? the prosecutor?s office said in an affidavit.
Video of the incident proved that Crutcher, 40, had his hands raised when he was shot and killed by Officer Shelby, who just so happens to have a history of drug abuse and domestic violence.
In 1993, Shelby?s ex-boyfriend filed a restraining order against her after she damaged his car following a break-up. ?In 2002, the wife of Shelby?s ex-husband called police and had a protective order against her due to threats and harassment. ?Shelby?also admitted to using drugs on her application to become a police officer.
All of these details are being released AFTER she took an innocent man’s life.
It’s certainly a devastating situation for all involved. ?All lives will forever be changed because of an itchy trigger finger.
The minimum sentence for first degree manslaughter is four years in prison in the state of Oklahoma.