3rd mistrial declared in boyfriend murder case

TULSA, Okla. — 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.

Holmes had instructed jurors that they could convict Kepler of first-degree murder or the lesser charge of manslaughter. Manslaughter carries a sentence of four years to life in prison, while the sentence on a first-degree murder conviction is life in prison.

The jury deadlocked 6-6, but Kunzweiler said it was unclear if the breakdown was six for conviction and six for acquittal or six for murder and six for the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Kepler, who retired from the force after he was charged, was a 24-yearpolice veteran who said he was trying to protect his daughter, who had run away from home and was living in a crime-ridden neighborhood. Defense attorney Richard O’Carroll said Lisa had been in and out of a homeless shelter after her father prohibited her from bringing men into his house.

Kepler told investigators he was acting in self-defense because Lake was armed, but police didn’t find a weapon on Lake or at the scene. Lake’s aunt said her nephew was reaching out to shake Kepler’s hand to introduce himself when Kepler fired.

Pam Wilkins, Lake’s aunt, said his extended family is deeply frustrated by the third mistrial.

“But I’m not giving up hope,” she said. “We’re believing in God and justice for Jeremey.”

Jurors in Kepler’s previous two trials, in November and February, deadlocked 11-1 and 10-2 in favor of guilt and Judge Sharon Holmes was forced to declare mistrials. Although they couldn’t agree on the murder charge, jurors in the first trial convicted Kepler of recklessly using his firearm.

Lake’s killing was among a series of fatal shootings of black people by Tulsa-area law enforcement officers in recent years.