Tulsa World: Judge will allow Oklahoma City pharmacy robbery trial to be televised

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Judge will allow Oklahoma City pharmacy robbery trial to be televised

Pharmacist Jerome Ersland, left, is checked with a security wand by Oklahoma County sheriff deputy Johnny Singley as he enters the courtroom for his preliminary hearing in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009. Looking on at right is his attorney Irven Box. AP PHOTO

By SEAN MURPHY Associated Press
Published: 11/5/2009 9:11 AM
Last Modified: 11/5/2009 4:44 PM

Related story: Oklahoma City pharmacist to face trial

OKLAHOMA CITY — A judge ruled Thursday that television cameras will be allowed inside the courtroom for the highly publicized trial of a pharmacist charged with gunning down a 16-year-old during an attempted robbery.

Oklahoma County District Judge Tammy Bass-LeSure granted a motion filed on behalf of several media outlets to televise the first-degree murder trial of 58-year-old Jerome Ersland.

Ersland and his attorney, Irven Box, told the judge they had no objection to the trial being televised.

"I would be honored to have them here," Ersland said.

District Attorney David Prater also endorsed the move but said he did not want jury selection to be televised. Bass-LeSure agreed.

Neither Prater nor Box, who has a nearly 40-year career in the legal field, could remember the last time a trial was televised in Oklahoma County.

Oklahoma law prohibits cameras or recording equipment inside courtrooms, unless authorized by the individual judge.

Bass-LeSure stressed that the case will not be about the legal or political careers of her or the attorneys in the case.

"This trial will be about fair and equal justice under the law," she said.

Attorney Michael Minnis, who represents a

newspaper publisher and several television stations, said he was pleased with the judge's ruling.

"This particular case has aroused the interest and passions of the community like no other," Minnis said. "It's important in our country that we have open justice. That's the biggest protection we have against injustice."

In a case that has stirred debate over vigilante justice and self-defense, Ersland is accused of gunning down 16-year-old Antwun Parker at the Reliable Discount Pharmacy where he worked in south Oklahoma City.

A surveillance video shows two would-be robbers enter the store and one of them point a gun toward Ersland and two women working inside. The video shows Ersland draw a weapon and fire at Parker, who was unarmed, striking him once in the head.

Ersland then chased the other would-be robber outside. The video shows Ersland return about 30 seconds later, retrieve a second gun and fire five shots at Parker, who was lying on the floor.

Defense attorneys maintain that Ersland feared for his life and the safety of his co-workers, but prosecutors say he went too far when he shot the teen while he was on the floor, unconscious, with his hands extended to his sides.

After a preliminary hearing Wednesday, a judge ruled there was sufficient evidence for Ersland to stand trial for first-degree murder.

Parker's alleged accomplice, 15-year-old Jevontai Ingram, has been charged with first-degree murder, along with two ex-convicts who prosecutors contend planned the robbery and persuaded the teens to carry it out. By SEAN MURPHY Associated Press

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	Report Comment Biker Patriot, Broken Arrow (11/5/2009 11:46:35 AM) Yep...some liberal panty waste judge will allow this to be aired so everybody can see that you'd better not dare to defend yourself against worthless thugs.
	Report Comment oldrustytulsa, Tulsa (11/5/2009 9:39:54 AM) What we need is Judge Judy, and Giraldo,or Nancy Grace, just think of the advertising the TV stations could sell, Oh, yeah the guy is innocent anyway, the Perk, was still twitching, causing for fear of harm.
	Report Comment oldrustytulsa, Tulsa (11/5/2009 7:54:45 PM) Its about time, Oklahoma finally getting the Big time TV court,The whole nation will be watching, instead of Oprah, and Dr. Phil, this afternoon program will be great. I do hope Fox cable is there.
	Report Comment Few Clothes, America (11/5/2009 9:25:16 AM) NO!!
	Report Comment Democrat, Tulsa County (11/7/2009 5:34:58 PM) marine2.0: You are correct about the dead young man being a robber. But, you are leaving out an important fact. That robber was already incapacitated by the head shot fired by the pharmacist. If the pharmacist had emptied his gun immediately into that robber, he would have no legal problem. It was when he retrieved another gun and fired 5 shots into an unconscious robber that got him into trouble. Oklahoma law does not allow a robbery victim to be the judge, jury, and execution under those circumstances. He will stand trial and unless one of the jurors lies during voir dire and tells the prosecutor that he would be willing to follow the law and vote to convict the pharmacist if the prosecutor proves his case( when he actually agrees with you), the pharmacist will probably be convicted on one of the homicide charges available to the jury.
	Report Comment my view, Sand Springs (11/5/2009 9:33:55 AM) The judge must be looking for a job in Hollywood.
	Report Comment my view, Sand Springs (11/5/2009 11:45:39 AM) Judge Tammy Bass LeSure to court reporter...do you think this will get us a TV gig? Hey Judge Judy I'm moving in so move over.
	Report Comment Just a country boy, North Okmulgee County (11/5/2009 5:59:19 PM) Next lets have executions on TV
	Report Comment Carlos, Tulsa (11/5/2009 11:40:33 AM) Sweet! That way we can all riot in the streets if he gets convicted just like the Rodney King verdict.
	Report Comment Carlos, Tulsa (11/5/2009 11:41:34 AM) ......only opposite. Totally.
	Report Comment FUTURE WORLD, Tulsa (11/5/2009 6:35:03 PM) Televised live. This is going to be a good one. Very unusual for Oklahoma district courts.
	Report Comment 18thandBoston, (11/5/2009 12:51:23 PM) what a terrible idea
	Report Comment AllSmiles, Sperry (11/5/2009 12:28:14 PM) ha ha ha RIC! that made my day! Would that not be the shiznat??? COME ON EVERYONE WE'RE GOING STREAKING!!!! (from Old School)
	Report Comment AllSmiles, Sperry (11/5/2009 12:31:20 PM) Or..... (Maury) Sorry YOU ARE.......NOT THE FATHER!!!! (Chick) OHHHHHHHHHH.....I was 100000000% sure he was???
	Report Comment lucky girl, mine (11/5/2009 9:54:48 AM) Drama, drama, drama...no thanks
	Report Comment lucky girl, mine (11/5/2009 10:04:01 AM) Wal-Mart Pharmacy, wouldn't have it any other way
	Report Comment lucky girl, mine (11/5/2009 12:38:00 PM) Party at Ric's!
	Report Comment lucky girl, mine (11/5/2009 12:39:14 PM) orly, said "this is going to be a complete circus" The elephant is running free in Enid...
	Report Comment lucky girl, mine (11/5/2009 12:56:07 PM) "Get" crazy, we are already there....
	Report Comment lucky girl, mine (11/6/2009 11:09:15 AM) Yaeah Elusive or they will want to see the dogs chasing the kid into the outhouse.
	Report Comment Ron Ballew, Lawton (11/5/2009 12:02:42 PM) The Oklahoma "Make My Day" law allows the use of deadly force for self defense on your Oklahoma property. Robbers should be shot and killed for threatening someone's life during a robbery. You don't want to leave a robber alive or he will come back and kill you someday.
	Report Comment orly, Tulsa (11/5/2009 11:28:03 AM) this is going to be a complete circus
	Report Comment Ric, Broken Arrow (11/5/2009 12:21:21 PM) Can't wait for a streaker to run through...
	Report Comment Ric, Broken Arrow (11/5/2009 12:52:16 PM) Lucky girl, AllSmiles Oh Yeah... lot's of pretty girls and some streaking, sounds fun to me. Lets get crazy.
	Report Comment Moses, Jenks (11/5/2009 1:59:21 PM) This is a bad idea. All of the people involved, witnesses, attorneys, judge etc. will be pandering to the camera. The only way it would work is if the cameras were hidden and no one involved knew they were on television. It’s a little late for that to happen.

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