Ex-cop guilty of second-degree murder in wife's killing

A toxic relationship between then-Memphis police Officer Jaselyn Grant and her wife turned deadly Nov. 19, 2014, at their Hickory Hill-area home, Assistant District Attorney Marianne Bell told jurors Saturday.

After a history of abusive behavior, Grant fired upon 29-year-old Keara Crowder with her service weapon.

"She got Keara out of her life for good by shooting and killing her and trying to make it look like she was defending herself," Bell said.

Grant, 36, was convicted Saturday of second-degree murder.

She had pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and claimed self-defense. The jury convicted her of the lesser charge.

The couple married in June 2014 in Illinois. In November 2014 they were in the midst of a break-up, and Crowder had started seeing another woman.

​Bell and Assistant District Attorney Glenda Adams said Grant used her police-department-issued palmtop computer to look up her wife's girlfriend's information, including her license plate.

Grant came home during her shift and found the woman in their house. Bell said Grant walked up in full police uniform with her hand on her gun and asked, "Who is this (expletive)?"

Grant searched her wife's phone and made harassing phone calls to the woman, and on Nov. 16, days before the murder, Grant kicked her wife while she was on the floor of their computer room, Bell said.

The day before the murder, Bell said Grant threatened her wife in phone calls.

Before the shooting, Crowder's son said Grant got out her service revolver and a blue pistol. He said Crowder hit Grant in the head with the blue pistol, and Grant pointed her gun at him. Crowder told the boy to run. He said he heard shots and his mother cry out.

In testimony, Grant said her wife threatened to kill her and pointed a gun at her.

Grant said she thought she was going to die, and she reached in her pocket and shot Crowder.

"This was a crazy night, and crazy things were going down with both of those ladies," said defense attorney Vicki Carriker.

Carriker asked the jury to consider Grant's state of mind and if Grant was in fear for her life.

Grant was also convicted of a lesser charge of reckless endangerment involving the victim's son, not guilty of a related gun charge and guilty of aggravated assault. She had been charged with attempted first-degree murder of the son, who said bullets flew by him as he fled.

Shelby County Criminal Court Judge Chris Craft revoked Grant's bond and set sentencing for March 10. Grant previously resigned from the police department.

Reach reporter Katie Fretland at kfretland@gannett.com and on Twitter @katiefretland.