TULSA, Okla. (AP) – For the third time in less than a year a jury deadlocked on Friday and forced a mistrial in the murder case of a white former Oklahoma police officer accused of killing his daughter’s black boyfriend, astonishing prosecutors and frustrating the boyfriend’s family.
Judge Sharon Holmes declared the mistrial after four hours of jury deliberations over the fate of former Tulsa police officer Shannon Kepler. He was accused of fatally shooting 19-year-old Jeremey Lake in August 2014, not long after Lake started dating Kepler’s then-18-year-old daughter, Lisa.
Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said he was shocked that a mistrial was declared after such short jury deliberations.
“I’ve never encountered a dynamic like this in 25 years of practice,” Kunzweiler said after the mistrial was declared. “In my opinion, there should be some compulsion placed on jurors to reach a verdict.”
Defense attorney Richard O’Carroll did not return a telephone message seeking comment.