Prosecutors seeking death penalty for man accused of killing Tulsa police officer

Prosecutors seeking death penalty for man accused of killing Tulsa police officer

NOW FACING THE DEATHPENALTY.

AS PAPERWORK ISFILED TODAY..

AGAINST DAVIDWARE.HE IS THE MAN ACCUSED OFKILLING TULSA POLICESERGEANT CRAIG JOHNSON..

ANDSHOOTING OFFICER AURASHZARKESHAN..

DURING AN EARLYMORNING..

TRAFFIC STOP INJUNE.

JUST THIS WEEK..

AJUDGE RULED TO RELEASE THEPOLICE BODY CAM VIDEO OF THEINCIDENT...WARE'S ATTORNEY..

WANTED THEVIDEO RELEASED... SAYING ITOFFERS A DIFFERENT POINT OFVIEW THAT NIGHT... ANDWANTED THE PUBLIC TO DECIDE.2 WORKS FOR YOU'S KATIEKELEHER SPOKE WITH THE TULSACOUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'SOFFICE ABOUT WHAT LED TOTHIS DECISION.KEVIN GRAY, ASSISTANTDISTRICT ATTORNEY, TULSACOUNTY "In any homicidecase, the choices that aremade are fundamentally lifealtering." THE DEATH PENALTY- NOW A POSSIBILITY FORDAVID WARE.

HIS CHARGESINCLUDE FIRST- DEGREE MURDERAND SHOOTING WITH INTENT TOKILL IN THE JUNE SHOOTING OFSGT.

CRAIG JOHNSON ANDOFFICER AURASH ZARKESHAN.TULSA COUNTY ASSISTANTDISTRICT ATTORNEY KEVIN GRAYSAYS AFTER GOING THROUGHEVIDENCE AND MEETING WITHATTORNEYS AND DETECTIVES -THE OFFICE FOUND FIVEAGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCESWHICH COULD RESULT IN THEDEATH PENALTY.KEVIN GRAY, ASSISTANTDISTRICT ATTORNEY, TULSACOUNTY "In this particularcase one of the aggravatingfactors that is one of themore recent ones approved bythe legislature is the deathof a policy officer in theline of duty." ACCORDING TOTHE PAPERWORK - OTHERSINCLUDE WARE KNOWINGLYCREATING A GREAT RISK OFDEATH TO MORE THAN ONEPERSON.

AND THE MURDER OFSGT.

JOHNSON WAS COMMITTEDFOR THE PURPOSE OF AVOIDINGOR PREVENTING A LAWFULARREST OR PROSECUTION.

THISIS JUST THE EIGHTH TIMETULSA COUNTY DISTRICTATTORNEY STEVE KUNZWEILERHAS CALLED FOR THE DEATHPENALTY.

THE LAST TIME APERSON IN TULSA COUNTYRECEIVED A DEATH SENTENCEWAS IN 2009.

FOR WARE - THEDEATH PENALTY DECISION WILLNOW BE UP TO A JURY.

WHICHWILL HAVE TO BELIEVE THEPROSECUTION'S BURDEN OFPROOF BEYOND A REASONABLEDOUBT.KEVIN GRAY, ASSISTANTDISTRICT ATTORNEY, TULSACOUNTY "Even if they findthat yes, we've met ourburden of proof, we'vegotten beyond a reasonabledoubt, they can still chooseto impose life with thepossibility of parole.

Orlife without the possibilityof parole."WARE'S NEXT COURT APPEARANCEIS A DISTRICT COURTARRAIGNMENT ON OCTOBER 5TH.THEN - THE CASE WILL GO TOTRIAL, WHICH GRAY SAYS,COULD BE AT LEAST ANOTHERYEAR OR YEAR AND A HALF.

INTULSA, KATIE KELEHER, 2WORKS FOR YOUOFFICER AURASH ZARKESHAN..IS RECOVERING.

FOR MOREBACKGROUND ON THIS STORY..CHECK OUT KJRH DOT COM... WEWANT TO LET YOU KNOW..

BODYCAM VIDEO ON OUR WEBSITESTOPS BEFORE THE SHOOTINGTAKES PLACE..

AS WE HAVECHOOSEN NOT TO AIR IT ORPOST IT... OUT OF RESPECTFOR THE FAMILIES.HERE'S SOME HISTORY ONEXECUTIONS IN OUR STATE..BETWEEN 1915 AND 2014..OKLAHOMA EXECUTED A TOTAL OF192 MEN AND 3 WOMEN..THE LATEST INFORMATION ONTHE D-O-C WEBSITE..

SHOWSTHERE ARE46 INMATES SENTENCED TODEATH.IT'S BEEN MORE THAN FIVEYEARS... SINCE OKLAHOMA LASTEXECUTED SOMEONE.

EARLIERTHIS YEAR... IT WASANNOUNCED THE STATE CANBEGIN SCHEDULING EXECUTIONS.BACK IN FEBRUARY..

STATEOFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THEYWOULD BE ADDING MORE CHECKSAND BALANCES TO THEEXECUTION PROTOCOL.RECRUITING OFFICERS