Betty Shelby's Attorney Speaks After Trial Ends

<p>Thursday, Shelby&rsquo;s team said they're relieved the jury understood the shooting was justified when considering all the circumstances surrounding it.</p>

Thursday, May 18th 2017, 9:05 pm

By: News On 6


After the Betty Shelby verdict was read Wednesday night, the district attorney, the Crutcher family and protesters made their voices heard.

The defense team, however, was silent.

Thursday, Shelby’s team said they're relieved the jury understood the shooting was justified when considering all the circumstances surrounding it.

Shelby’s attorneys told the jury she did not overreact from emotion or act unreasonably the night she shot Terence Crutcher.

Special Coverage: Terence Crutcher Police Shooting

They said he reached into his window after more than three minutes of not saying a word or following commands, even at gunpoint,

The team agreed Shelby was scared but said she didn't shoot out of fear.

"There's no evidence she did anything but remain calm, cool and collected. Like I told the jury, you can be very scared and in control, it's when you're very, very scared and out of control that could be an issue," attorney Shannon McMurray said.

She said it's wrong for the DA to accuse officers in the case of corruption when the DA never accused them of it in cases before or after this one.

McMurray said it's standard for officers to wait a few days before making a statement and said showing Shelby the shooting video before the interview wasn't sinister because detectives weren't trying to prove who committed the act.

"It's not a question of who-done-it, it's more administrative, really, did they follow training, policy and procedure, and ultimately, was a crime committed," McMurray said.

She said Shelby is relieved by the jury's verdict.

McMurray said, "When I asked her how she felt, she said ‘I'm so happy, but I'm concerned for the community. I'm concerned for the jurors and concerned for the Crutchers.’ Just wants us all to heal and try to move forward, that's all she wants."

She expects Shelby to receive her back pay from September. The police chief said city legal and HR are reviewing Shelby's job status.

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