Betty Shelby Trial: 2 black women, 1 black man chosen for jury in Terence Crutcher's case

Two black women and one black man have been chosen as jurors in the manslaughter trial of Tulsa, Oklahoma, police Officer Betty Shelby, who fatally shot Terence Crutcher in September, the Tulsa World reported.

The black women are seated among the 12 jurors, and the black man is one of two alternates. The number of black jurors is representative of Tulsa's population — the city of over 403,000 residents is 57.9% white and 15.9% black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The jurors are expected to hear opening statements in the trial on Wednesday.

Shelby, who has said the decision to shoot Crutcher was not influenced by his race, was charged with first-degree manslaughter on Sept. 22. Prosecutors are alleging that Shelby used an unreasonable amount of force to prompt compliance from Crutcher, whom she and other officers encountered near his reportedly stalled vehicle in the middle of a two-lane Tulsa road on Sept. 16.

Crutcher was unarmed, and was seen on police dash cam and helicopter video with his hands raised. In a 60 Minutes interview, Shelby said she believed Crutcher was reaching for a weapon in his vehicle and feared for her own life.

Dr. Tiffany Crutcher, Terence's twin sister, recently sat down with Mic to discuss the case as well as her brother's life.