Referee to consider Tulsa County Sheriff’s request

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – An Oklahoma Supreme Court referee is scheduled to consider a request by the Tulsa County sheriff to stop a grand jury investigation following the fatal shooting of an unarmed man by a volunteer deputy and longtime friend.

Referee Greg Albert will hear oral presentations Tuesday in Sheriff Stanley Glanz’s request to overturn a lower court’s decision to empanel a grand jury July 20.

More than 6,600 Tulsans petitioned for the investigation into whether Glanz neglected his duties and whether reservists who gave gifts to the sheriff were shown special treatment. Glanz’s lawyers say some signatures were gathered improperly and the petition should be rejected.

The petition drive began after 73-year-old reserve deputy Robert Bates shot and killed Eric Harris on April 2. Bates has pleaded not guilty to second-degree manslaughter.