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McMullen steps down
Beleaguered Sheriff Kieran McMullen is vacating his office three months early.
The resignation comes four days before McMullen, his wife Helen and two others are expected to enter pleas at a Friday hearing on gambling-related charges, District Attorney Bret Burns said Monday evening.
“I have no comment on the resignation nor the plea deal set for Friday,” Burns said.
McMullen told an Express-Star reporter Monday evening that he was “retiring” and would be in today to “grab his stuff.” He made no reference to his legal troubles.
County Commissioner Jack Porter said Monday afternoon that McMullen had told him he was leaving “effective immediately.”
McMullen’s bright red Sheriff’s patrol car was seen parked Monday afternoon at the Chickasha office of his attorney, Ryland Rivas but McMullen told a newspaper representative later in the day that he had nothing to report about his status or any possible developments in his legal cae.
His departure comes two-years after the McMullens, and several other law enforcement officers were arrested in connection with illegal gambling uncovered during a raid on the Chickasha Elks Lodge.
The Sheriff, Helen McMullen, who was then a Chickasha police officer, deputy Robert Cacy and former deputy Delmer Barthelme are awaiting trial on charges connected with the Elks Lodge raid.
McMullen has been under fire for several questionable practices in the sheriff’s department over the past two years, the latest for authorizing the payment of thousands of dollars in compensatory time to Cacy and Barthelme. The payments were among the reasons Burns is asking the state auditor to conduct an audit of the Sheriff’s Department and jail.
County commissioners met in regular session Monday morning but there was no mention of what was to transpire later in the day.
“There was no formal resignation,” Porter said. “He told me personally that he would be resiging effective immediately and it was a ‘hard decision.’
Porter said it would be his recommendation that undersheriff Larry Crabb be apointed to oversee the Sheriff’s Department until a new sheriff can take over.
Art Kell and Austin Green face off in the Nov. 4 election to replace McMullen, who had been sheriff since 2003.
Porter said one scenario could be that commissioners would immediately appoint whoever was elected Nov. 4 to take over the office earlier than the scheduled January date.
“I will be ready should the commissioners be ready to appoint one of us to office,” Green said. “I feel I’m the better candidate because of my prior law enforcement and management experience and I would be ready to take over on day one.”
Kell said, “The voters of Grady County can finally have closure on the sheriff’s matter. The bottom line is, we need a new direction and change for the county. I have the experience to do the job, and I don’t have the ties to the ‘good old boys’ that have been in the department for over 30 years. That is why it is crucial to get a new bloodline in office, and I am the man for the job.”
Green was undersheriff during former Sheriff Stan Florence’s administration.
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Transformations
What comes to mind when you think of the word, “Transformation”?Do you have fantastic thoughts of people or things changing into something amazing for example, Clark Kent turning into Superman or Bruce Banner becoming the Incredible Hulk or possibly something a little more down to earth like a caterpillar miraculously changing into the beautiful butterfly?
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GRADY COUNTY FAIR RESULTS
Plants
Potted Plants
(Several varieties combined)
First: (Adult) Ann O'Bar
Second: (Adult) Joyce Riker
Third: (Adult) Jallane Link -
AROUND THE AREA
SEPTEMBER 2
Poetry Reading
• When: Sept. 2, 7 p.m.
• Where: Eduardo’s Mexican Restaurant, Private Room, 3127 S. 4th St., Chickasha
• Details: Featured Poet is Carol Hamilton, writer, storyteller and Poet Laureate of Oklahoma 1995-97Hamilton’s website is www.carolhamilton.org. There is no admission fee to attend the Poetry Reading, and refreshments are available for purchase. For more information, contact Rockford Johnson, 224-0160 or 317-7506. -
Duncan nips Chicks for straight-game win
Duncan got their eighth match win of the season Tuesday, beating Nancy Waters’ Lady Chicks in straight games at the Activity Center.
The Chicks looked like they had a little hangover from Monday night’s tough road loss at Tecumseh, coming out flat again and dropping their first two games by identical 25-17 scores.
They came out firing on all eight cylinders for game three, running out to a 15-9 lead on the strength of a 7-0 run with Shelby Crosley serving, but the Demons battled back to tie it late and the Chicks let it slip away, 25-21. -
STATE SPORTS BRIEFS
NORMAN (AP) — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops has named walk-on Patrick O'Hara as the starting place-kicker for the seventh-ranked Sooners.
Stoops said on his radio show Tuesday night that O'Hara won the competition with Jimmy Stevens, freshman Michael Hunnicutt and redshirt freshman Bryce Easley. -
OSU's Gundy still learning on job
STILLWATER (AP) — Mike Gundy hasn't lost his love for dialing up the right play to keep Oklahoma State's offense purring along.
That passion, which he has called the most enjoyable part of his job as head coach, was bred into him as an offensive coordinator. And he is a former starting quarterback for the Cowboys. -
Whimsical metal work, jewelry part of big art show at USAO
A showing of whimsical metal work and jewelry is scheduled to be on display at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma during Helen’s Show Sept. 10-Oct 1.
The show will feature the work of USAO graduate Helen Shafer. The exhibition will be open daily during normal business hours in the Davis Hall Third Floor Art Gallery on the USAO campus. The show is free and open to the public. An opening reception is scheduled Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. in the gallery. -
High-speed chase lands 1 in jail
A high-speed motorcycle chase down Highway 81 last Wednesday landed a Ninnekah man in jail and a felony charge of eluding a police officer.
Court records show that James William Hutchins, 21, blew by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Timothy Parrish at U.S. Highway 81 and County Road 1460 and was clocked going 144 miles per hour in a posted 70 miles per hour zone.
Parrish reported that he was sitting stationary at that location at about 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 25 when he observed a red motorcycle traveling southbound. He engaged his emergency lights and siren and pulled onto the roadway behind the Triumph motorcycle. -
5 inmates denied parole
Parole was recently denied for five Grady County inmates serving sentences with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
The following individuals were denied at the August Pardon and Parole Board meeting:
• Jeremiah Daniel Cline, who is serving a five-year sentence for distribution of a controlled dangerous substance and a five-year sentence for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, began his sentence in August 2008.
• Warren P. Diego, who is serving a 15-year sentence (10 years PTS) for lewd molestation, began his sentence in February 2009. -
Judge recuses herself from pharmacy case
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A state district judge has stepped aside from the first-degree murder trial of a pharmacist accused in the fatal shooting of an unconscious would-be robber.
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Transformations
