Tulsa County grand jury to convene Monday

A grand jury will meet Monday to investigate the beating death of downtown Tulsa bar owner Shawn Howard.<br/><br/>It's taken four months and more than 10,000 petition signatures but the family of Shawn

Sunday, November 21st 2004, 5:57 pm

By: News On 6

A grand jury will meet Monday to investigate the beating death of downtown Tulsa bar owner Shawn Howard.

It's taken four months and more than 10,000 petition signatures but the family of Shawn Howard will finally get their day in court.

Howard was beaten to death outside the Deadtown Tavern back in June.

Police arrested Terry Badgewell in connection with Howard's death but let him go after the district attorney ruled he acted in self-defense.

Howard's family disagrees they think the brutal beating points to something more than just self-defense. They collected more than ten-thousand petition signatures to get a grand jury to investigate what they believe is a crime. It's been long-time coming but they're ready for the grand jury to meet.

Sarah Baber: "I feel Shawn deserves this. We pray that they do see it as murder. We feel it is because he was so brutally beaten after he was knocked unconcious."

Both Shawn's sister and mother say no matter what the grand jury decides it will give their family some closure.