Posted on April 12, 2015 in Civil Rights,Criminal Law,Excessive Force,Negligence
Last Friday, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department held a press conference to explain why the shooting of Eric Harris was justified and consistent with protocols. The department also released a video of the incident. While the video supports the claim that Harris was shot by a deputy who believed that he was using a Taser,… read more…
Posted on March 10, 2015 in Civil Rights
Following the release of a short video which captured racially charged content in a fraternity chant, the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity at the University of Oklahoma is no more. Riding on a party bus, the chant was captured which included some disturbing racial slurs including “there will never be a n—– in SAE.” The actions… read more…
Posted on March 8, 2015 in Criminal Law,Negligence
Does a bartender at a commercial business have any responsibility when serving alcohol? The answer is generally, yes. Under Oklahoma’s dram shop laws– laws governing bars that serve alcohol– a bartender who over-serves a visibly intoxicated patron can be held criminally liable, but, as discussed in greater detail below, there are several factors that make proving… read more…
Posted on March 7, 2015 in Civil Rights,Criminal Law,Discrimination,Negligence
A Sapulpa assistant softball coach was found dead in an apparent suicide after Creek County officials officially charged him in the rape of a 17 year old softball player. If you have questions about Title IX, sexual harassment or gender discrimination, contact the personal injury attorneys at Bryan & Terrill, 918-935-2777 The body of Brad… read more…
Posted on March 4, 2015 in Insurance,Negligence
There has been no shortage of controversy over the recent spike in earthquake activity in Oklahoma. Oklahoma had more earthquakes on record in 2014 than California and Oklahoma earthquake activity has been trending dramatically higher in the last three years. To give you an idea of how impressive this increase in activity is, Oklahoma experienced 567… read more…
Posted on March 3, 2015 in Criminal Law,Negligence
The Oklahoma state House of Representatives has passed a bill to strengthen the penalties for boating while intoxicated. This firm previously covered the problems with Oklahoma’s boating while intoxicated laws. You can access that coverage here. House bill 1714 imposes new restrictions that compel the suspension of a person’s driver’s license. For a first offense,… read more…
Posted on February 22, 2015 in Civil Rights,Excessive Force
Use of force events do not occur in a vacuum; they are generally governed by department policies that contain a use of force “spectrum” which define increasing levels of force, and the circumstances that justify moving from one level to the next. The spectrum typically ranges from no-force measures like “officer presence” up to the… read more…
Posted on February 17, 2015 in Civil Rights,Jails and Prisons
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) show Oklahoma has the highest rate of prison homicides in the nation. While Maryland comes in second, the BJS indicate that Oklahoma inmates are killed at a rate more than three times the national average. According to a story by The Associated Press, Oklahoma officials blame gang violence for giving… read more…
Posted on February 14, 2015 in Civil Rights,Criminal Law,Excessive Force
A widely circulated dashcam video of officer Eric Parker shows him slamming Sureshbhai Patel to the ground causing possible paralysis in a brazen display of police misconduct. Patal, an innocent man, was simply out on a morning walk. The excessive force used by Parker has shed light on a growing problem among law enforcement- police… read more…
Posted on February 12, 2015 in Negligence
Oklahoma Republican Jeff Hickman has introduced a bill that would prevent cities and towns from deciding whether to allow fracking in their jurisdiction. The measure is particularly concerning to people in cities and towns– population centers where increased seismic activity caused by fracking could have a devastating impact on property owners, especially where the property… read more…