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4 Charged in Pharmacy Robbery Death
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 4:21AM 
It was Jerome Jay Ersland, 57, of Chickasha, Ok. who shot 16-year-old Antwun Parker once in the head and later returned to pump five more shots into the teen as he lay on the ground, killing him. The incident occurred when Parker and his 14-year-old accomplice, Jevontai Ingram attempted to rob the Reliable Pharmacy in Oklahoma City. Ersland, who is the pharmacist, has been charged with murder in the death of Antwun Parker. See video below.
But it gets more complicated.....not only is Ersland charged with first-degree murder but so is Jevontai Ingram, the accomplice, and two other adults: Emmanuel Mitchell, 31, and 43-year-old Anthony Morrison. In addition to the murder charge Mitchell is accused of driving the getaway car and Morrison is accused of setting up the robbery and providing the gun. Morrison was also the last suspect to be arrested. See video below.
Jerome Ersland was freed on $100,000 bail and has returned to work at the pharmacy while the other suspects are being held without bail. Ersland's lawyer says his client acted in self defense in the shooting. Both of them appeared on the Bill Riley show in an attempt to explain what happened and why Ersland shot the teen so many times:
Ersland's bail of $100,000 was paid for by an anonymous supporter. It was District Judge Tammy Bass-LeSure who set the bail amount and even though most defendants accused of murder in Oklahoma are denied bail, the prosecutors raised no objection to Ersland being freed. In fact District Attorney David Prater even suggested to the judge that Ersland be permitted access to his gun at work, in case the pharmacy was robbed again.
The prosecutor said his position "sounds crazy” but he insisted that under the law Ersland has the right to defend himself and others at the pharmacy.
He said he worried crooks now will know it is "open season” at the pharmacy if Ersland is there. He also said Ersland could be fired.
Prater said the pharmacist would not be in court if the two robbers had not come into the drugstore. The judge said, "Then, why did you charge him, Mr. Prater?” The district attorney replied that Ersland went too far.
A clearly irritated Prater also told the judge, "I’m the one who filed the charge so my butt’s on the line.”
The judge nevertheless refused the request and said that Ersland could always get another job.
"I am going to limit his access to guns,” the judge said. "If someone wants to be around him, they are not going to have access to guns.”
In what seems to be an unusual relationship between the prosecutor and the defendant, Prater said the judge's decision was wrong and told Ersland after the hearing: "I want you to be treated fairly.”
Ersland is restricted to his home except for trips to work, church, court, his attorney’s office, the grocery store, restaurants and the doctor’s office. Ersland is recovering from recent back surgery and wears a brace. His attorney said he is on morphine. Ersland has said he is a veteran who was wounded during the first war in Iraq.
The family of Emanuel Mitchell questioned why the only person given bail was the shooter, Jerome Ersland.
"It's unequal treatment. I think there's a lot of prejudice going on," says Mitchell's Uncle Jimmy Williams.
"If one of them gets out on bond, they all should get out on bond," says Mitchell's mother Sharon Williams.
Cleta Jennings, mother of the dead teen, Antwun Parker, gave an interview in which she expressed gratitude that all those involved in the murder had been captured and said she wants justice for her son's death.
Nobody should have to die, not even a dog should have to die the way he killed my son. He was down, he was down, he did wrong, we know he did wrong, but he didn't have to go back and shoot him in his chest five times. He was a human being. He was human and he was my child, he was my baby and nobody deserves to die like that. And I'm sure this man has children and when he go home and look at his kids and he.....
Public opinion varies as to whether Jerome Ersland should be found guilty of murder.
Reader Comments (2)
Shadmia, You did an excellent job putting this together. The media here in NYC as usual has not followed up on this unfortunate incident and somehow I lost track myself. Indeed this is an unfortunate incident and there are many sides to this incident as well as many opinions.
In lieu of same, please allow me to share mine. I grew up in the ghetto of Brooklyn, NY. I am also one of those who was fortunate enough to walk from such a horrid, violent neighborhood.
On the street where I grew up, there was a bodega on the corner. Just in case you are unfamiliar with the term, a bodega is a Spanish or Latin American grocery store. The Puerto Rican family that owned the bodega always appeared to be extremely nervous and wary of the African American community it served. My mother raised us to be honest and respectful of others so we were one of the few people in the neighborhood who had no problems with this business. They were in turn decent to us.
After hours one night three men broke into the bodega. They had no idea (nor did we) that the family lived in the back of the store. The owner came out, interrupted the robbery and the next thing you know there was a gunfight. Two of the robbers were killed.
The owner and his family thank God were okay and the owner was not charged. As it turned out, he and his family had a similar problem at a previous location where they were robbed some years earlier and the owner had defended himself there as well, but he was run out of the neighborhood.
Moving on, about three years later after the incident on my block, while the owner's wife and children were in P.R. on vacation, someone robbed the bodega yet again, and this time the owner did not escape an unfortunate fate. He was shot and killed during the robbery.
The bottom line is this Shadmia, the Oklahoma incident was avoidable had these youth not attempted to rob this man, his business and his livelihood.
While I feel for the loss of the family, one cannot justify the wrongdoings of loved one and friends if they are caught dead to wrong which is what the young man's family and friends are guilty of. The fact that these men and boys are criminals has escaped many and in turn, they are sending the wrong message to our youth and community.
We do not know what Mr. Ersland was feeling because we have not lived it, but truth be told, the man was more than likely tired of getting robbed and people putting a gun in his face.
@Bydesign001 This case is interesting on so many levels. I will do my best to follow its progress through the courts.
I am not a lawyer but I wonder what happens if Jerome Ersland is found not guilty. Does this automatically mean that the others are also not guilty? Is each person going to have their own separate trial? If so is it possible that some would be found guilty while others go free.
The reverse can also be argued: If Ersland is convicted is everyone else guilty?