Pastors Criticize Tulsa FOP's Ethics Complaint Against DA

<p>A group of North Tulsa pastors met with the news media Friday to criticize the Tulsa Police's union's complaint against Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler.&nbsp;</p>

Friday, May 5th 2017, 1:22 pm

By: News On 6


In just a few days, officer Betty Shelby will stand trial at the Tulsa County courthouse.

Terence Crutcher supporters say Tulsa is a powder keg of emotions and the FOP's actions is an attempt to derail justice.

"All we ask for is for the wheels of justice to turn and to turn fairly,” said Pastor Rodney Goss of Morning Star Baptist Church.

Dozens of north Tulsa leaders are standing together, In a news conference, they called out Tulsa Fraternal Order of Police.

"Those who are sworn to uphold and protect the rights of its citizens, how can we trust them now,” said Goss. 

5/3/2017 Related Story: Tulsa Fraternal Order Of Police Files Grievance Against Steve Kunzweiler

On Wednesday, the FOP held its own news conference, announcing plans to file a complaint against the DA for prematurely filing charges against officer Betty Shelby.

"The FOP sends a message that the ones trying to prosecute or at least allow the wheels of law to turn is somehow bias,” Goss added.

Pastor Goss said Tulsa is a powder keg of emotions and the FOP's actions are only agitating the tension.

Crutcher supporters say this isn't a stand against police.

They just want to make sure the system works fairly.

"This is about justice,” said State Representative Regina Goodwin. “We are always going to be on the side of justice and justice being done."

Betty Shelby Trial - Terence Crutcher Police Shooting

A complaint from the FOP's earlier news conference stems around this statement by Jerad Lindsey:

"Whether they're a citizen, whether they're a police officer, whether they're a convicted felon, whether they're a habitual offender, we do not want them to be charged before all the reports and evidence are in.”

"The problem with that, I'm not seeing officer Lindsey stand with the citizen, with the habitual offender, with a convicted felon, with a press conference and declare that the district attorney has somehow acted unethically,” said Goodwin.

District Attorney Steven Kunzweiler says he stand by his decision to go forward with the charges.

Shelby's manslaughter trial in the death of Terence Crutcher is set to begin Monday. 

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