Posted on 08/25/2010 3:42:53 PM PDT by Altura Ct.
OKLAHOMA CITY -- For the first time in a year, the mother of 16-year-old Antwun Parker, who was shot and killed by pharmacist Jerome Ersland, is speaking publicly.
According to police, Parker and a friend tried to rob the pharmacist at gunpoint in May 2009. Investigators said Ersland knocked Parker to the ground with one shot to the head, grabbed a different weapon and fired five more shots into his chest and abdomen.
"A coward is someone who will kill someone when they're done," said Parker's mother, Cleta Jennings. "That's not a hero. The real hero here is Antwun."
Jennings said that while her son did go into the pharmacy with a gun, she believes other people put him up to it.
"I know he was scared to death," she said. "I know Antwun was scared to death when he had to go into that pharmacy not under his own will."
In an exclusive interview with KOCO, Jennings said she was angry when she found out two pathologists with the Oklahoma County Medical Examiner's Office filed conflicting statements, which call the former chief's ruling into question. That ruling could affect the District Attorney's decision to prosecute.
"That man literally shot my son down, had no remorse, went back, got another gun, reloaded it and came back and shot him five more times," Jennings said.
The interim chief said he's still reviewing the case. District Attorney David Prater said he's not prepared to drop the case against Jerome Ersland, but said it is his duty to listen to all evidence that's brought forth in every case.
Jennings said her son will never have a chance to prove his innocence.
"He still should have had a chance to go to court and defend himself," she said. "He's just like everybody else, innocent until proven guilty."
She said she will continue to share his story and remember his achievements as she carries the pain inside her.
"He was not a masked robber. His name was Antwun Parker. He was a human."
She said she may file a civil lawsuit against Ersland if she's not happy with the course of action in the criminal case.
Dance the tune...Pay the piper.
Ha ha ha ha ha! WTH???
I can’t imagine how painful it is for a mother to lose her child regardless of what he did. Having said that, however, he’s not a hero, and if he walked into that store with a gun to rob it, his mother should not be at all surprised he ended up dead.
A hero for robbing a pharmacy at gunpoint and then getting shot in the act? How messed up are these peoples’ values? I just don’t get it.
If she's proud of a pos like that, that makes her even worse than him. She asks like her son (and by extension herself) are the victims here. She's scum!
Yeah, lady, robbery is real damned heroic. He’s a big damn hero.
What is scary,this mentality is the rule
Lovely family I'm sure...
For that I thank him.
To Ms Jennings, thanks for nothin. I hope you don't have any other little punks in the brood.
not very christian of me, but I'm so sick of this crap.
A “hero” doesn’t attempt to rob a pharmacy, coerced or not.
OK.
Whatever ...
Moving on to other things ... Miss Jennings apparently rides the short bus.
Antwun was turning his life around.
insane
He’s a hero for risking his life attempting to redistribute the White Man’s wealth and as a result losing his life. In their world anyone fighting Whitey deserves kudos and honor whether he or she was successful or not in their quest economic justice or bring about the pain, suffering, and loss of life.
War is peace, cold is hot, black is white... I hope the pharmacist gets a medal and the key to the city.
The drugs must have been for the mother.
He brought a gun to a gun fight and lost.
Thug Culture. Nothing’s going to change until decent people put an end to it.
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