According to The Oklahoman News, a dead robber’s mother has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the pharmacist who fatally shot him. Cleta Jennings has sued pharmacist Jerome Jay Ersland over the death of her 16-year-old son, Antwun Parker.
According to documents, Ersland shot Parker once in the head and five times in the body outside Reliable Discount Pharmacy in southwest Oklahoma City in 2009. Ersland went to trial in the first degree murder case filed against him over the shooting. Prosecutors alleged the pharmacist went too far, while his attorneys argued he was bravely defending himself against during a robbery.
Ersland’s attorney commented about the wrongful death lawsuit, saying that it is unfortunate that a mother who had no control over her son while he was alive is seeking to profit from his death. Ersland is facing life in prison or life in prison without parole if convicted at trial of first-degree murder.
Jennings said that Antwun was always the type of child full of laughter and play. Jennings is suing the pharmacist for grief, loss of companionship and love of Antwun Parker, destruction of the parent-child relationship, funeral expenses, pecuniary loss, punitive damages, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, costs and reasonable personal injury attorney fees, wit the amount in excess of $75,000.