NAACP Houston demands accountability after jury finds officer not guilty in death of Black woman

Wednesday, October 12, 2022
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The NAACP Houston discussed the not guilty verdict in the murder trial of an unarmed Black woman.
[Ads /]
It was Tuesday that former Baytown officer Juan Delacruz was found not guilty by a jury for use of excessive force during a 2019 shooting that killed 44-year-old Pamela Turner.

SEE RELATED STORY: Harris County jury finds Baytown officer not guilty in 2019 shooting death of Pamela Turner

The shooting, which happened in May of 2019 at an apartment complex, was captured on video.

Delacruz was attempting to arrest Turner for two open warrants. Turner managed to grab the officer's taser, which Delacruz said prompted him to shoot her in self defense.

SEE ALSO: Baytown officer involved in deadly shooting of Pamela Turner identified

Turner's family said she was diagnosed with schizophrenia and claim she was having a mental health crisis.
[Ads /]
The family also said the jury didn't hear the whole story, claiming the judge did not allow them to hear details about previous run-ins between Delacruz and Turner.



Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has been working with her family and is demanding accountability.

The Baytown Police Department shared a statement about the verdict.

"With the recent verdict in the criminal trial of Officer Delacruz, the Baytown Police Department recognizes the community's interest in this incident. A review of internal processes and policies continues, in addition to pending Internal Affairs inquiries to determine policy compliance or non-compliance. While there may be differing opinions on the verdict, this case was tried in a court of law before a jury of Harris County citizens. We ask for respect of this legal process and for citizens to express themselves in a peaceful manner."
Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.