Alleged murderer in the Tulsa, Oklahoma shootings of 5 African-Americans, Jake England, has released a tape attempting to defy claims that he is a racist.
STORY: Confessions: Tulsa Shooters Speak!
19-year old Jake, along with his alleged accomplice Alvin Watts, has been charged with 3 counts of first degree murder and hate crimes by Tulsa County District Attorney Tim Harris.
As reported by CNN:
Clark Brewster, lawyer for 19-year-old Jake England, told reporters Friday he would not comment specifically about the April 6 shootings that left three dead and two others wounded in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
He did show a video of an interview his team conducted and recorded with England from jail, in which the suspect described the trauma of watching first his father and then, nearly two years later, his girlfriend being shot dead a few feet away from him.
England also talked of growing up and living in North Tulsa, which has a large African-American community, and saying he had friends of all races.
“I always got along with everybody. It didn’t matter what color he was.”
That view is starkly different from the portrayal of England offered by prosecutors, as well as in the probable cause affidavit that led to the arrest of him and 33-year-old Alvin Watts.
Community activist Al Sharpton spoke on the charges saying:
“We’re glad that prosecutors filed first-degree murder and hate crime charges. We’re glad that they’ve made that decision in the right direction today.”
Our condolences are with the families who lost loved ones as a result of these shootings.
Photo Source: KRMG
