Two prospective jurors excused in Oklahoma officer’s fourth trial

Shannon Kepler

TULSA, Okla. (AP) – A judge has excused two prospective jurors in the fourth first-degree murder trial of an ex-Oklahoma police officer who fatally shot his daughter’s black boyfriend.

The Tulsa World reports Judge Sharon Holmes dismissed the jurors Tuesday out of a pool of 60 in the case of ex-Tulsa officer Shannon Kepler after they told Holmes they had opinions about how Kepler’s case should be resolved.

Attorneys began questioning 36 potential jurors Monday. Jurors deadlocked 11-1, 10-2 and 6-6 in Kepler’s previous trials.

Kepler was off-duty when he shot 19-year-old Jeremey Lake. He told investigators he fired because he thought Lake had a gun, but police found no weapon at the scene or on Lake.

Kepler said he was trying to protect his daughter because she was living in a crime-ridden neighborhood.