Sheriff denies going easy on Oklahoma governor’s son found intoxicated by deputies: Report

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt’s son was discovered intoxicated by native deputies on Halloween final month after they had been alerted to a case filled with firearms positioned in a parking zone of a close-by haunted home.

The weapons got here from the truck of 20-year-old John Andrew Stitt, who had been consuming that evening and had been looking earlier that day, mentioned he had his automobile burglarized sooner or later all through the day. The Logan County District Lawyer’s Workplace advisable a cost of minor in possession of alcohol and studies of the incident solely lately emerged on Nov. 19, days after the governor’s reelection.

The Logan County Sheriff’s Workplace obtained an onslaught of offended telephone calls and messages from residents who claimed the division allowed the governor’s son a simple cross. Logan County deputies, nonetheless, mentioned that the governor’s son really obtained harsher therapy than most individuals present in comparable conditions below the legislation, in keeping with a neighborhood information outlet that requested the division in regards to the incident to seek out out whether or not he obtained any preferential therapy.

“I do know you are being accused of treating him higher as a result of he is the governor’s son. However, did you deal with him worse?” KOCO 5 reporter Evan Onstot requested Sheriff Damon Devereaux.

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“Minor in possession was the one cost we had on this deal as a result of he wasn’t carrying the weapons. He wasn’t utilizing the weapons. He wasn’t driving. He wasn’t inflicting a disturbance. So, he could not have been arrested for public intoxication,” Devereaux instructed the ABC Information affiliate. “And whenever you watch the bodycam footage, after I watched it, he is not drunk, you realize, like we consider a drunk stumbling, cannot stroll, has to hold on to stuff. He seems he could also be below the affect, however I do not assume he is drunk.”

A member of the governor’s government safety element, an Oklahoma Freeway Patrol trooper, was despatched to choose up the weapons. Whereas the outlet famous there had “been plenty of questions” about the way in which Andrew Stitt was handled, a Sooner State statute does enable using a safety element within the method it was executed.

The bodycam footage depicts a deputy expressing frustration with the way in which the scenario unfolded Halloween evening, and Devereaux stands by his deputy’s dealing with of the matter.

“My deputy did a full – as you guys know – a full, detailed report on the incident,” Devereaux mentioned. “We’ve bought physique cam footage of the incident. An affidavit was filed on the incident. However but, we’re accused of overlaying it up as a result of no person is aware of something about it.”

Andrew Stitt contends within the bodycam footage that he was looking deer earlier within the day and sooner or later the weapons case was stolen from his truck. There is not any proof about this declare, however Devereaux instructed the outlet he believes the case was unlocked.

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When requested in regards to the firearms, and whether or not it is unlawful to depart them unlocked in any public place even by chance, the sheriff mentioned “it is form of reckless” however mentioned “I do not know that it is unlawful.”

The sheriff mentioned Sitt’s son was provided a deferred prosecution by the district legal professional, which he mentioned is frequent process and would possibly require Andrew Stitt to carry out neighborhood service and alcohol coaching, together with a possible tremendous.