POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY, Okla. – Almost two years after the loss of a Tecumseh police officer, an Oklahoma woman has been convicted for her role in his death.
Around 11:30 p.m on March 26, 2017, Tecumseh Officer Justin Terney pulled over a vehicle near Benson Park and Gordon Cooper.
“You got your driver’s license and registration ready?” dash cam video showed Officer Justin Terney asking Brooklyn Williams during the traffic stop.
Williams gave Officer Terney her real name, but Byron Shepard lied from the very beginning, telling Officer Terney his name is James Bishop.
Shepard was wanted for stealing a pickup and equipment from an oil drilling company.
Dispatch couldn’t find Shepard’s false identity, and Shepard proceeded to make small talk with the 22-year-old officer.
Officer Terney told Shepard he needed to be honest and give him some identification, but Shepard ended up running into a wooded area.
You can hear Officer Terney screaming, “You’re going to get tased! Stop!”
District Attorney Richard Smothermon said Officer Terney tased Shepard as they cleared a fence.
In the video, you can hear Officer Terney say, “Central, I’ve been hit.”
“We believe Officer Terney returned fire after he was hit,” Smothermon said. Smothermon said Terney was shot twice, and Shepard was shot at least three times.
They were both rushed to nearby hospitals, but Terney died from his injuries.
Ultimately, Shepard was charged with one count of first-degree murder and the driver, Brooklyn Williams, was charged with one count of second-degree murder.
Williams and Shepard both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Now, it seems that one of the suspects is headed to prison.
On Friday afternoon, a Pottawatomie County jury convicted Williams of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Terney.
Closing arguments took place Friday morning, and the jury deliberated for about 3 hours.
Prosecutors alleged she was harboring a fugitive and concealing Byron James Shepard, who allegedly shot and killed Terney after a traffic stop.
The trial was held in Pottawatomie County, but prosecutors from the Cleveland County District Attorney’s office tried the case in Shawnee because of a conflict of interest with the new Pottawatomie County District Attorney, Allan Grubb.
Numerous law enforcement officers took the stand this week, and the jury was shown the dash camera video from Terney’s patrol car before reaching its decision.
The defense did not call any witnesses to the stand.
The jury recommended 25 years in prison for Williams, who is 24. Sentencing will happen at a later date.
Byron Shepard is facing the death penalty in the case. He’s expected to go to trial sometime this year.
