Showing posts with label
Oklahoma State Medical Examiner.
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Showing posts with label
Oklahoma State Medical Examiner.
Show all posts
Terrill Confident Over Grand JuryGrand Jury convened today but he's not been subpoenaed.By Jerry Bohnen
Monday, August 16, 2010 A multi-county grand jury convened Monday in Oklahoma City but State Representative Randy Terrill and other legislators were not called in the Oklahoma County district attorney's probe of their actions to create a state job for one legislator.
Terrill assumed it meant he was no longer a target of David Prater's investigation but also charged Prater would not admit he was wrong in carrying out the probe over the past few months.
"He's so far out on a limb that he's backed himself into a corner," said Terrill in an interview with KTOK News. He sounded confident he and other legislators would not be summoned to testify before a grand jury, noting he had not been subpoenaed and the current grand jury was scheduled to disband in a month.
"I don't know whether he's a target of an investigation or not," explained Terrill's attorney, Stephen Jones. "But there's no basis to indict him or continue the investigation by the grand jury."
Jones contends the Oklahoma constitution is clear that the questions surrounding efforts by Terrill and others in the legislature to create the $80,000 a year job for State Senator Debbe Leftwich 'are the province of the House'.
Does it mean the D-A has dropped his investigation? Scott Rowland, first Assistant District Attorney wouldn't comment when asked about it today.
"He (Terrill) hasn't been subpoenaed for the August grand jury or any grand jury, so any opinion I would have would be speculative," said Jones. "He was subpoenaed for the grand jury in July but it was withdrawn by Prater and no new subpoena has been issued or served, so you can draw your own conclusions from that."
The Oklahoma State Senate passed SB 738, a bill which would significantly restructure the office of the Chief Medical Examiner, bringing long overdue professional management to the office, and providing for greater accountability from the office.
“This office has been floundering in a dysfunctional morass for some time,” said Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, author of SB 738. “This legislation will bring this vital office back to the highly performing operation we need it to be, serving the needs of the citizens of Oklahoma.”
When signed into law by the Governor, the new Medical Examiner’s office will be renamed the Oklahoma Department of Forensic Sciences, and will be headed by a professional administrator appointed by the governor and subject to Senate confirmation, leaving medical professionals to practice good science, rather than concerning themselves with budgets, personnel issues and politics.
The Chief Operating Officer will establish qualification requirements for all staff, and establish continuing education requirements for the any staff charged with investigating deaths. Further, the new COO will establish policy and procedures for background checks for all prospective hires within the department.
Also of significant note, a new governing board over the department will be comprised of the Director of the OSBI; State Commissioner of Health; Secretary of Health; Chairmen of Pathology at University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and the OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine; Director of the Forensic Science Institute at the University of Central Oklahoma; President of the Oklahoma Osteopathic Association; President of the Oklahoma State Medical Association; and a funeral director, appointed by the Oklahoma State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors.
“I’m proud of the Senate for moving these important reforms forward today,” said the Pro Tem. “We look forward to a new era of effectiveness and professionalism from this currently embattled office.”
House Rep. Lucky Lamons, D-Tulsa, responds to the request today by House Speaker Chris Benge and Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee for an OSBI investigation into the State Medical Examiner’s Office:
“I fully support and appreciate the House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tem calling for this investigation.
We need a quick response to this situation and I applaud them for taking the lead on this extremely important matter,” said Rep. Lucky Lamons, D-Tulsa.
Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee and House Speaker Chris Benge called upon the Attorney General to a request an OSBI investigation into the State Medical Examiner’s office today.
The leaders have expressed concerns for over a year regarding the management and operations of the office, but additional allegations of sexual harassment charges inside the office bring new urgency to the matter.
“I have expressed real concern about this office for some time now,” said Coffee. “We have been acutely aware of serious management issues, but the new allegations require immediate action.
“On a legislative level, we will continue looking at the management at this agency,” he continued. “But multiple issues need to be resolved at this vital agency.
“I hoped that the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation will look into these allegations immediately, and help us all move this agency toward fulfilling its mission,” Coffee concluded.
House Speaker Chris Benge added, “It is vital that the public has confidence in this office, and given the current allegations, I think it is important that an investigation is initiated immediately so as to not impede ongoing operations.”
