GUILTY OK - Jeremey Lake, 19, fatally shot by off-duty Tulsa PD officer, 5 Aug 2014 *arrest*

[OkieGranny]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepage5...cle_8d4147f7-886d-565a-9d72-82837e43bc8d.html

A Tulsa police officer charged in the murder of his daughter’s boyfriend retired last month and collected a lump sum pension payout of more than $160,000, records show.

While a state law prevents officers convicted of felonies from collecting their monthly pensions, Officer Shannon Kepler gets to keep the lump sum even if convicted in the case, said Steven Snyder, executive director of the state Police Pension and Retirement board. However, Kepler would forfeit monthly pension benefits if convicted of a felony not resulting in a deferred sentence, Snyder said.

 

[OkieGranny]

Tesimony has begun in Shannon Kepler's preliminary hearing:

http://www.newson6.com/story/276631...ring-for-former-tpd-officer-accused-of-murder

Lake's 13-year-old brother also testified... that on the day his brother was killed, he was sitting on the front porch with Lake's friend, Josh, when a black vehicle pulled up and stopped in the street. He said Lake and Lisa Kepler left the house and walked down the street as the vehicle approached. He heard a man's voice yelling at Lake as the couple approached the vehicle... He testified Lake started heading toward the house, then stopped and turned around. Hamilton said Lake did not have any kind of weapon.

He said “a shadowy figure” got out of the vehicle with a black and silver handgun and fired two shots at Lake. He testified the man wore a “beanie” and a coat and had a mustache. The man pointed the gun at Lisa Kepler, who had run behind a bush, and the man fired, then pointed the gun at him and fired, he said. The bullet fired at him hit the house and ricocheted, grazing him on the right arm... he said he was later told what hit him was a piece of brick.

He testified the man fired five shots in all.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/cour...cle_93942343-9bf4-5d9c-8539-2bd2a6e95d83.html

A former Tulsa police officer accused of shooting his daughter's boyfriend was bound over for trial Thursday on first-degree murder and two counts of shooting with intent to kill... On Thursday, a judge added a shooting with intent to kill charge regarding a shot directed at Lake's 13-year-old brother...

Lake's younger brother testified during the hearing Kunzweiler told him what to say on the stand...

The first witness called was a neighbor who was the first to reach Lake after the shooting. The man, Phillip Milligan, tried to elicit a response from Lake by moving his head but was met with a blank stare, he testified. "You could tell he was just gone," Milligan said.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.newson6.com/story/28669627/shannon-keplers-attorney-wants-tulsa-da-thrown-off-murder-case

A former Tulsa police officer lost a bid to delay his murder trial. His attorney was asking for the delay and for the district attorney to be kicked off the case...

The victim's little brother testified in a hearing that he was told what to say by District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler - a claim Kunzweiler explains as simply telling the witness to tell the truth... Kepler's attorney, Richard O'Carroll, thinks it must have been more than that and, if it was, Kunzweiler ought to be taken off the case...

With more than an hour in court to make the claim stick, O'Carroll didn't get anywhere with the judge, who denied a delay in the case so the DA's ethics could be more fully examined.

 

[Leader6518]

I'm surprised he is out on bond. I follow cases all over the country and miss one right in my back yard. This is one trial I would like to attend.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/cour...cle_3376bab3-a525-520e-8e3d-1c11cf2a0fbb.html

Kepler’s trial remains set for Jan. 11.

 

[Hatfield]

Tesimony has begun in Shannon Kepler's preliminary hearing:

http://www.newson6.com/story/276631...ring-for-former-tpd-officer-accused-of-murder

So it appears this out of control ex-LE officer tried to kill 3 people.
He shot and killed the boyfriend and also attempted to shoot and kill his own daughter and the boyfriends brother. All in different directions from each other.
Good Grief

I have heard nothing that disputes the charges and saw an interview on TV with a relative of the victim "Nana" where he was staying and she said he was really getting his life on track and staying out of any trouble.


"He said “a shadowy figure” got out of the vehicle with a black and silver handgun and fired two shots at Lake. He testified the man wore a “beanie” and a coat and had a mustache. The man pointed the gun at Lisa Kepler, who had run behind a bush, and the man fired, then pointed the gun at him and fired, he said. The bullet fired at him hit the house and ricocheted, grazing him on the right arm... he said he was later told what hit him was a piece of brick."

http://www.newson6.com/story/276631...ring-for-former-tpd-officer-accused-of-murder

 

[Hatfield]

Seems to me daddy took her to the shelter, effectively putting his daughter on the streets. I agree he may have been consumed with something, but worried sick about how his daughter was living on the streets? Worry seems contrary to his first action and it doesn't seem to be an action she chose, rather it was chosen for her.

I suspect the daughter was suppose to stay at the shelter, in his opinion, and be uncomfortable and do without until she asked her parents if she could come home. Her personality, or lack of it (which I have not seen stated by a professional btw) can't be used by her father as a defense to shoot some guy she met and moved on from the shelter with. Not on the USA anyway.

Anyway, he won't be able to exercise control of her or anyone else for the foreseeable future.

Jmo.

I totally agree. After he threw her out of the house and brought her to the shelter then in his mind he thought she would beg to come home after a few days/weeks in the shelter and instead she found alternative and comfortable living arrangements with her boyfriend and his relative "Nana". Once he found this out, he blew his top and went on a killing rampage. His own daughter is lucky to be alive.

I find it incredible that the wife stuck by him and tried to hide his weapon he used. She should be charged along with him as accessory after the fact IMO.

If she would have showed any sort of public display of being mad at him about what happened then I may not feel that way about her. Her actions showed me she was almost as bad as he was with the lame coverup attempts.

 

[Hatfield]

This trial was just about to start the other day and then the defense pulled another fast one. They are appealing their request/denial to have the judge recuse herself and which was originally denied.

It sounds like games the defense is playing just to drag this thing out. The officer is out on bail so every day it doesn't go to trial is 1 more day the officer can be free.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/cour...cle_27cb7881-8603-5554-bed9-501f6e7325ed.html

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/cour...cle_73bc21ff-829f-5d1f-88ef-8bd063171691.html

An extended delay in court proceedings was granted Friday morning for a former Tulsa police officer who is accused of murdering his daughter’s boyfriend.

The stay was granted after Shannon Kepler verified he has filed an appeal as he continues to challenge a judge’s refusal to remove herself from trying his case...

After O’Carroll verified Friday that the appeal had been filed, Holmes agreed to stay any further district court proceedings until March 14.

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/cour...cle_b2131f77-3234-5f64-b87e-4972fff74704.html

After more than a year of delays as his defense sought to have judges and the district attorney removed from the case, District Judge Sharon Holmes set Shannon Kepler's case for an Oct. 3 jury trial...

Monday's hearing was Kepler's first appearance in court since the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on May 10 unanimously denied his attorney's efforts to get Holmes recused from presiding over the case...

Appeal documents state Kepler will assert that he shot Lake in self-defense.

 

[bluesneakers]

August 23:

Hearing Held For Former Tulsa Police Officer Charged With Murder

In the hearing Tuesday, Kepler's attorney asked the judge to throw out statements reportedly made by Kepler during an early interrogation. Richard O'Carroll claims he gave Kepler a business card and had him sign on the back, "I invoke my right to counsel," written on the back of it, to give to detectives.

Two detectives testified that they saw the card, but they didn't see anything written on the back of it.

The state's attorney argued that it is not a big issue because Kepler was only asked if he had had something to drink the night of Lake's death (to which Kepler is said to have answered, "yes,") and that Kepler was told he was being booked for first-degree murder (to which Kepler is said to have responded, "He died?" and was told yes.)

September 8:

Hearing questions Kepler's statement

Kepler went to court at 9:30 Thursday morning.

The judge denied motions to remove the district attorney and herself from the case.

She called Kepler back for another hearing on Sept. 16- she will rule on the motions to throw out Kepler's statement at that time.

Request To Remove Evidence Denied In Case Involving Former TPD Officer

Thursday, a judge denied a motion by former Tulsa police officer Shannon Kepler to have certain evidence thrown out of his first-degree murder trial.

And finally:

Former Tulsa police officer's murder trial still on next week's schedule, but judge won't decide until Monday whether it will start

More than two years after a Tulsa police officer was arrested in the fatal shooting of his daughter’s boyfriend, it’s unclear whether Shannon Kepler’s murder trial can begin as scheduled Monday despite a court order seemingly clearing the last potential obstacle Wednesday.

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Wednesday affirmed Tulsa County District Judge Sharon Holmes’ Sept. 16 order that Kepler’s defense attorney provide evidence material to prosecutors.

 

[Hatfield]

Trial delayed again. Oct 31 is new date. Does anyone know if there is a trial WS link setup or maybe we have to wait until it finally starts as it will probably be delayed again.

JMO
This trial should be interesting as all the research I did indicates he is guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt as he went into a fit of rage because his daughter was seeing someone he did not approve of. He had kicked her out of the house hoping she would come crawling back and when she was doing fine on her own and met her boyfriend who was turning his life around things were going ok for her. He heard that she was seeing him and went into a rage and went over to his house and shot him in the street and also shot at his own daughter trying to kill her too.

He and his wife hid the gun for a day or so and finally turned it in sort of.

I hope he gets convicted to the fullest extent as he had no right to shoot him down in cold blood just because he did not like what she was doing. His wife should have not supported him in what he did. She was helping to hide the gun. Unbelievable.

http://ktul.com/news/local/ex-tpd-o...layed-shannon-kepler-due-back-in-court-oct-31

 

[Hatfield]

Trial started today with jury selection.

Is it possible to get a thread going in the Trial section if there is enough Interest? Its a former policeman on trial for murder so I would think it would generate interest.

http://www.news9.com/story/33524154...n-murder-trial-of-former-tulsa-police-officer

 

[Woodland]

Just noticed this trial is getting underway - looking forward to following how it plays out.

 

[Woodland]

From testimony Friday, 4 Nov 2016 -

Kepler testified Friday her father was aggressive towards her at home and once restrained her by the throat to prevent her from leaving. In describing the conditions at home, she said "I didn't want to be there. The homeless shelter was freedom. I shouldn't have to feel like a hostage in some place called home."

In a 911 call played in court, she told dispatchers her father was a police officer and had just shot her boyfriend. Jeremey Lake, 19, was shot twice and died August 5th, 2014.

Lake's brother, 15-year-old Michael Hamilton, also testified Friday.

The teen had perhaps the best view of what happened, saying he was no more than 30 feet away when he saw Shannon Kepler fire two shots into his brother.

http://www.newson6.com/story/336328...rmer-tulsa-police-officer-charged-with-murder

 

[Woodland]

An article from today -

The defense said it plans to put Kepler on the stand to defend himself against the murder charge and two counts of shooting with intent to kill.

They say as many as five shots were fired, but Lake was hit twice - other bullets went in the direction of two witnesses, but the defense has set up a story line that those were simply stray shots and not intended to hit other people.

http://www.newson6.com/story/33648836/possible-jury-tainting-delays-tulsa-murder-trial

 

[Hatfield]

Thanks Okiegranny for getting the thread updated here on the Trial section.

Thanks to everyone else for the additions about the active trial now.

I read a recap the other day of when the daughter took the stand and I think she could have done much better for the prosecution but I think I can understand why she was a little wishy washy and inconsistent on some things. She still has a lot of conflict of interest because it was her "dad" afterall and so even though she knows he was on a mission to kill her boyfriend she also knew he was her dad so I think some of her emotions probably were pulling her in different directions.

She did good though and got the main points across and did not dispute that her Dad was there that day and shot her boyfriend. The part where she messed up the most IMO was two things.

First, she really errored on cross when she volunteered this information to the defense attorney.

"told him she had been anxious Thursday because of postpartum-related issues."

Probably not a good idea to admit something like that since the DT may use that to their advantage.

But the main thing where it weakened the prosecution case was her inconsistent statements about actually seeing her dad shooting at her too. I think she originally testified to something like that a long time ago in the preliminary hearings.

Here is what she said during Cross in the trial the other day.

"“He shot at people. There were people near the house,” Lisa Kepler said. “A bullet grazed the individual on the porch. Whether he was trying to shoot me or not is not the point.”"

Then the defense used that and countered.

"it is “exactly the point” because his client is accused of trying to kill her."

So it did not come across as strong as it could have if she would have been consistent and stayed strong against her father (i think they adopted her). But for the most part it got the main points across and at least for the main charge against the murder of Lake I hope the jury realizes this ex cop went there and murdered him in cold blood that day.

The boy never stood a chance against this rageful father. And the brother and his daughter really are lucky to be alive too.

Anyway, thanks again to everyone and will be checking in as we proceed. I think the trial should move pretty quick if the DT stops delaying every chance they get. The DT has played so many delay games it has been ridiulous. Hope the jury holds that against them too.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/cour...cle_4a088390-d039-5214-a7c6-3088e6fa3691.html

 

[Woodland]

I don't think the daughter actually saw a shot being fired in her direction but, I do think she knew a shot was being fired in her direction.

If JL was shot first, and that seems to be the case, then she would have run for cover - I believe she ducked behind some bushes from previous articles. If a shot landed near her, she would have realized that. Any bullets recovered would verify that or not - her seeing the shot fired at her does not seem important to me in order to decide guilt of attempted murder. He had after all just shot someone to death - which is not even disputed. Only the circumstances are in dispute.

 

[Woodland]

Frpm Kepler`s testimony today -

The defendant described seeing movements by Lake toward his waistline during the brief confrontation that led to the former police officer drawing a .357 revolver one-handed to fire shots.

He said he definitely saw a gun in Lake's hand after firing the initial shots.

No gun was discovered in Lake's possession or at the scene.

Rules or policy Kepler admitted to violating include checking the Tulsa Police Department's official records search to investigate Lake's background and not calling in the shooting or waiting for police at the scene, which he said department policy requires.

"I should have called," Kepler said. "I should have called and gone down there. I made a lot of mistakes, you know."

Kepler testified he instead drove to midtown immediately after the shooting to meet his wife, who had contacted attorneys.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/loca...cle_970aa86f-8149-59f9-9b97-b2d9726c372e.html

Imo, pretty lame on the `he (JL) reached for his waistband` excuse. Good luck with that.