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

MAKE US YOUR HOMEPAGE | Wednesday, February 10, 2010 | WIRELESS

Home > News > Article

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

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

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Reader Comments

Show: Most Recent Comment First

Add your comment

55 comments have been made on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!

Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

	Report Comment Few Clothes, America (11/5/2009 9:25:16 AM) NO!!
	Report Comment :), (11/5/2009 9:27:42 AM) Yeehaw! Oklahoma ain't had nothin' this excitin' since the dust bowl. I hopes they televise the trial so's I can wartch it in my lazy boy with some popcorn and sody pop! Maybe they'll get Wapner to sit the bench and Perry Mason to lawyerize for Ersland. I'll be glued to the idiot box so long as it don't interfere with my high school football schedule.
	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 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 Arbythree, Tulsa (11/5/2009 9:51:54 AM) Oh great.
	Report Comment lucky girl, mine (11/5/2009 9:54:48 AM) Drama, drama, drama...no thanks
	Report Comment Arbythree, Tulsa (11/5/2009 10:01:36 AM) I wonder which drug stores will advertise during the trial.
	Report Comment lucky girl, mine (11/5/2009 10:04:01 AM) Wal-Mart Pharmacy, wouldn't have it any other way
	Report Comment Arbythree, Tulsa (11/5/2009 10:06:50 AM) Maybe the Gun Emporium too?
	Report Comment forkandknife, Tulsa (11/5/2009 11:27:51 AM) This is ridiculous. Seriously?
	Report Comment orly, Tulsa (11/5/2009 11:28:03 AM) this is going to be a complete circus
	Report Comment skippy1, Tulsa (11/5/2009 11:31:55 AM) Great idea. Every trial should be open to public scrutiny. For the most part it will be boring, but there certainly will be 'A-HA' moments. Can't wait...
	Report Comment BettyRubble918, Tulsa (11/5/2009 11:38:29 AM) Not much of a surprise if you check out who this judge is.
	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 nunyerbisness, Tulsa (11/5/2009 11:43:25 AM) Televised? Oh man. . can't someone just watch for me and then tell me what to think? I am counting on you folks.
	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 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 slingshot, (11/5/2009 11:55:08 AM) Does anyone besides me wonder if the prosecutors in this case are pandering to a certain segment of the OKC population? Over and over I keep thinking about Mike Nifong and the case of the Duke lacrosse team in Durham, North Carolina.
	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 SS_Hippy, Tulsa (11/5/2009 12:06:53 PM) Here comes Court TV
	Report Comment shaw411, Scottsdale, AZ (11/5/2009 12:08:39 PM) I'll need to Tivo this one....
	Report Comment Ric, Broken Arrow (11/5/2009 12:21:21 PM) Can't wait for a streaker to run through...
	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???

25 of 55 comments displayed. | View All

Add Your Comment
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.