"We will never be over this," Oklahoma City murder victim's family demands answer after killer is set free
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - A heartbroken mother pleads for answers after her son's killer walks free.
Ginger Shahrestani told KFOR she only knew Damien Jacobs was free because her granddaughter saw him walking with his sister.
"She said, 'What? What's going on, Nana? How come he's out?'" said Shahrestani.
That sparked Ginger Shahrestani's questions. She wanted to know why her son, Blake's killer was released.
In July 2020, Blake was shot and killed by his fiancée's son, Jacobs.
They lived together, and Oklahoma City police say Blake and Jacobs were arguing at the time of the killing.
Jacobs was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. But now he is a free man.
"How do you go from being a murderer to manslaughter?" asked Shahrestani. "I think he should be put away for the rest of his life. Just like Blake."
Jacobs plead guilty in February of this year, was given a four-year suspended sentence and released after spending 952 days in the Oklahoma County Jail.
Shahrestani claimed that she was never told he would not face prison for killing her son.
However, the Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office sent us a statement:
"Regarding the case of Damien Jaocbs (sic), the previous ADA revised the charges to Manslaughter I at the preliminary hearing. As the current ADA was preparing for trial, the facts and evidence available at the time supported the charge and (sic) Manslaughter II. The Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office complies with Marsy's Law, which includes keeping the victim's family informed of amended charges and potential plea agreements. The ADA and our Witness Coordinator met with the victim's family prior to the defendant pleading guilty to Manslaughter I."
"We will never be over this," said Shahrestani. "It's our only son. And he took [him] down. I'm very upset about it. This has been the worst thing that ever happened to us."
Shahrestani said she did meet with someone from the district attorney's office but again claims no one told her Jacobs would be set free.