Terence Crutcher’s parents and wife fight over his estate

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The parents of Terence Crutcher and the mother of three of his kids are fighting in court over who can file a wrongful death lawsuit on his behalf.

Joey and Leanna Crutcher, the parents of the unarmed black man killed by a white Tulsa police officer, alleged in a court filings Monday that his wife, Frenchel Renae Johnson-Crutcher, is unqualified to serve as special administrator of Crutcher’s estate, according to the New York Daily News.

Despite a county judge appointing Johnson-Crutcher as the special administrator, the Crutchers’ attorneys said that she should have been ruled out because she and Terence Crutcher were never officially married. They added that Johnson-Crutcher has prior felony convictions and is not the legal guardian of her children — Terence’s parents are.

Whoever is named special administrator has the authority to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the city, which could be for millions.

Lawyers for the Crutchers also argued that Johnson-Crutcher’s legal past — which includes assault and battery and other charges in a stabbing last month — prohibits her from serving as special administrator. She was convicted for a DUI in 2007.

Johnson-Crutcher’s lawyer fired back that she has been married to Crutcher, 40, for 16 years.