A federal judge dismissed a civil rights lawsuit Monday brought by the family of Terence Crutcher.
Crutcher, a 40-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by Tulsa Police officer Betty Jo Shelby in 2016 after she found him near a car stalled in the middle of the roadway near 36th Street North and Lewis Avenue. Crutcher was unarmed.
Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler filed a first-degree manslaughter charge against Shelby days after the shooting, but she was ultimately acquitted.
In 2017, Crutcher’s estate brought the lawsuit against both the city and Shelby, alleging excessive force.
U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren granted both defendants summary judgment. The judge cited, in part, that Crutcher’s estate could not make a compelling argument against Shelby’s claim of qualified immunity.
Shelby’s attorney, Scott Wood, told KWGS his client was "elated" at the ruling.
"[She] has a certain feeling of vindication after all these years," he said. "While an appeal could come, I don't think it's going to be fruitful."
KWGS reached out to the attorneys for Crutcher's estate, but did not receive a response.
A representative for the city told the Tulsa World that it “respects the court’s decision and clarity on the lawsuit.”
