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Stanley Glanz: Oklahoma Sheriff Indicted After Refusing To Investigate A Deputy Who Fatally Shot An Unarmed Man

By Tara Dodrill
Published on: 04:31 PST, Oct 1, 2015

Stanley Glanz, an Oklahoma sheriff, was indicted on charges related to the fatal shooting of an unarmed man. A grand jury found there was enough evidence to move to trial in the Tulsa County case. Sheriff Glanz is accused of refusing to perform his duties and to investigate a volunteer deputy who mistook his pistol for a stun gun in the Eric Harris shooting.

Sheriff Stanley Glanz opted to resign after he was indicted by the grand jury on Wednesday. The Tulsa County sheriff was charged with two misdemeanor counts. One of the charges maintains that Glanz failed to promptly release documents pertaining to the internal investigation into the shooting by volunteer deputy and long-time friend Robert Bates, the San Francisco Gate reports.

After the shooting of Eric Harris, 44, the training of Robert Bates and Glanz’s reserve deputy program came into question. Bates is an extremely successful retired insurance executive. Harris was shot during a drug sting in April. The second charge levied against the Oklahoma sheriff involves an alleged “willful violation” of the law in a separate incident. The charge is in relation to the receipt of a stipend for a vehicle, KJRH reports.

Glanz is reportedly planning on stepping down before a November 10 hearing in the Bob Bates and Eric Harris related case. The Tulsa County sheriff said in a statement that he has always attempted to make good decisions and to act in a transparent manner during his nearly three decades in office. Sheriff Glanz told the grand jurors that he was willing to step down if such an action was deemed an appropriate action by the body. The members of the grand jury stated that stepping down was considered the best course of action.

“I know that my decisions have caused some to criticize me both publicly and privately,” Sheriff Glanz said in a two-page statement released after the grand jury indictment was handed down. “As sheriff, I take responsibility for all decisions made by me or in my name, but I assure you they were all made in good faith.”

The Oklahoma sheriff did not attend the recent hearing and plans to plead not guilty in the charges levied against him, according to his attorney, Scott Wood.

The grand jury was called to review the case after “thousands” of individuals signed a petition that requested an investigation into the sheriff’s office after the Eric Harris shooting. A video captured during the shooting reportedly shows Deputy Bates apologizing for the shooting. Harris was being detained on suspicion of selling weapons to an undercover police officer. Bates has pleaded not guilty to the second-degree manslaughter charges levied against him. Bates is no longer associated with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office. Robert Bates had reportedly donated cars, equipment, and thousands of dollars to the law enforcement agency.

Marq Lewis, a local civil rights activist who leads the We the People Oklahoma group, deemed the Stanley Glanz indictment a win for area residents.

https://youtu.be/w2nV9odzdfQ

“We got justice today. This is a statement to never bet against the citizens, the people of Tulsa County.”

The grand jury hearing and the indictment were called just a few hours after the jurors had completed their investigation into the sheriff’s office. The jurors had met for nine weeks behind closed doors and interviewed more than 30 witnesses, including Sheriff Glanz. Warren Crittenden, a corporal with the internal affairs unit, said he felt pressured to sign off on reports stating that Bates was qualified for duty.

[Image via: Shutterstock.com]

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