The Oklahoma Eagle Newswire
The Estate of Terence Crutcher, Sr., expanded its lawsuit yesterday against the City of Tulsa (“City”) and former Tulsa Police Department Officer, Betty Jo Shelby (“Shelby”). The Amended Complaint states:
- Officer Tyler Turnbough is added to the lawsuit after he admitted during Shelby’s May 2017 criminal trial, that he tased Crutcher at least five (5) seconds after Mr. Crutcher had been shot by Officer Shelby, and instructed Officer Shelby not to provide medical attention to Mr. Crutcher.
- Tulsa Police Department Chief Chuck Jordan is added to the lawsuit because he is the final policy maker responsible for the Tulsa Police Department’s policies, supervision, discipline, and training that led to Terence’s unnecessary shooting, tasering and death.
- Officer Jason Roy is added because he admitted that he did not to provide medical attention to Terence while he lay bleeding out on the pavement.
- The Complaint outlines a non-exhaustive list of excessive force lawsuits between 2000-2016, wherein the City had to pay because Tulsa Police Department officers unnecessarily beat, kicked, tased, and shot unarmed City residents.
- The Complaint also outlines a non-exhaustive list of incidents between 2000-2016 involving the Tulsa Police Department and the City’s African-American residents that shows TPD engages in a pattern and practice of discriminatory policing.
Reacting to the new evidence, Terence’s twin sister, Dr. Tiffany Crutcher, stated “We are greatly disappointed that the City refuses to acknowledge that there is a pattern and practice of police treating African-Americans in Tulsa in a discriminatory manner. However, we are prayerful that the continued pain we must endure during these proceedings will force the City to implement the police reforms Tulsa so desperately needs and also hold those liable, accountable for the pain, suffering, and death of my twin brother.”
