Betty Shelby's Daughter Pleads For Fair News Coverage

Before the start of her mother's preliminary hearing Tuesday, Betty Shelby's daughter spoke at a news conference and rally supporting the officer.

The daughter, identified only as Amber in a release from Law Enforcement And Supporters for Media Accountability (LESMA), called for fair coverage by the media as the trial begins.

Amber said her mother may be going to a hearing Tuesday but has already been tried in the court of public opinion. She said her mother is not the monster portrayed on TV but a caring mother and grandmother of good character.

Special Coverage: Terence Crutcher Police Shooting

"She became a police officer because she wanted to make a difference in her community," Amber said. Shelby had no intention to end someone life on September 16 but was doing the job she is dedicated her life to, her daughter said.

Her voice shook with emotion as she described the ordeal her family has gone through starting September 16, 2016.

"She is not just the image you saw plastered on the television screen for two weeks straight," Amber said. "She is not a faceless badge."

Amber said the media has made every effort to destroy her mother's character and associate her name with that of a monster.

"My mother is beautiful inside and out, and she deserves to be heard in the courtroom," she said.

She began by thanking family and friends who are standing by them in this difficult time. Also by thanking officers for risking their lives to protect citizens.

LESMA representative Amanda Miller accused the media of skewing coverage and omitting facts in previous cases. Miller asked the media to present fair, factual coverage of the court proceedings so the community has a better understanding once the verdict is reached.

Betty Shelby is charged with first-degree manslaughter in the death of Terence Crutcher in September, in a shooting that received widespread national coverage.

Shelby said she feared for her life when she came up upon an abandoned vehicle and encountered Crutcher.