The Oklahoma police officer who killed Terence Crutcher will have the first-degree manslaughter case expunged from her record.
A judge ruled Wednesday that all documents related to officer Betty Jo Shelby’s case would be sealed. Shelby requested the court to remove the case from her record in August after she was acquitted for the fatal shooting of Crutcher three months earlier.
She shot and killed Crutcher in September 2016 while responding to a report of a stalled vehicle in the middle of the road. She testified at trial that she feared for her life because Crutcher didn’t obey her commands.
Moving forward, the case will only be accessible through a court order. It will not appear in any background searches of Shelby, and the files can be destroyed after 10 years, the judge ruled.
“Like any other citizen who is acquitted, Betty Jo Shelby was entitled to have her record sealed and expunged,” said Shelby’s defense attorney, Shannon McMurray. “Betty … continues to work to try and serve her community and prays for everyone’s continued healing.”