The white woman who shot and killed her Black neighbor -- a mother of 4 -- is getting off easy when it comes to charges ... so says attorney Ben Crump and the victim's mother, who both say race is very much a factor.
Crump and Pamela Dias joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live," to reveal everything that led up to Friday's tragedy. Police say 58-year-old Susan Louise Lorincz opened fire through her front door, killing 35-year-old Ajike Owens, who was knocking on the door to defend her kids.
Lorincz was arrested Tuesday night, and charged with 2 counts of assault, battery, culpable negligence, and manslaughter. That last charge is offensive to Pamela, as she firmly believes her daughter was murdered.
Crump pointed out prosecutors still have the discretion to upgrade the charges against Lorincz, and he says that's warranted in this case.
Pamela and Ben claim Lorincz has been tormenting neighborhood kids -- including Ajike's -- for years about an open field where they play. They say her anger was completely unwarranted as Lorincz didn't own the land, which is adjacent to her apartment.
Perhaps most tragically, Pamela says 2 of her grandkids witnessed their mother get shot.
And, Crump says he has no doubt racism is a critical factor in this case -- he claims Lorincz has hurled epithets and insults at kids on previous occasions.
Right now, Pamela says she's focused on trying to give her 4 grandchildren as much normalcy as possible, but also realizes her family will never be the same again after the brutal slaying of her daughter, Ajike.