Oklahoma

Video Shows Oklahoma Judge Using Phone, Checking Facebook During Murder Trial

Published

1 year ago

July 24, 2023

Video Shows Oklahoma Judge Using Phone, Checking Facebook During Murder Trial

CHANDLER, Okla. (AP) — An Oklahoma judicial ethics panel is investigating a new state judge who can be seen on courtroom video scrolling through social media and texting on her cellphone throughout a murder trial, according to a local sheriff’s office.

Security video published by The Oklahoman newspaper shows Lincoln County District Judge Traci Soderstrom texting or messaging for minutes at a time during jury selection, opening statements and testimony in the trial for a man charged in the beating death of his girlfriend’s son.

Sgt. Aaron Bennett of the county sheriff’s office declined to provide the video to The Associated Press, saying it is part of an ongoing investigation by the Oklahoma Council on Judicial Complaints. Taylor Henderson, the council’s director, said its work looking into accusations of misconduct by judges is secret by law and that she could not comment on whether it is investigating. Soderstrom declined to comment to The Oklahoman because the verdict in the murder case could still be appealed, saying judges are prohibited from discussing pending cases. She did not respond to a request for comment from the AP. In the video, Soderstrom, 50, can also be seen checking Facebook during the trial, which began last month in Chandler, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) northeast of Oklahoma City, according to The Oklahoman. At one point, Soderstrom searched for a GIF, an animated image.

The judge was sworn in on Jan. 9 after being elected in November. Her four-year term expires in January 2027.

The trial ended in a second-degree manslaughter conviction for Khristian Tyler Martzall in the 2018 death of Braxton Danker. Prosecutors had asked jurors to find him guilty of first-degree murder.

Bennett said cameras are placed in courtrooms for security. He said the sheriff’s office did not provide the video to The Oklahoman.

Sheriff Charlie Dougherty told the newspaper that he provided videos from the trial to the council at its request.

District Attorney Adam Panter said he reviewed the video after getting a tip from courthouse personnel. He said he found the judge “spent hours of the trial” texting and scrolling on her cellphone.

“It is both shocking and disappointing,” he told the newspaper. “Jurors are banned from using cellphones in the courtroom during trials because we expect them to give their full time and attention to the evidence being presented. I would expect and hope the court would hold itself to the same standard required of the jurors, regardless of the type of case.”

Panter said he never saw her using the phone. The videos show that Soderstrom held the phone in her lap and below the top of the judge’s bench while using it or set it down in an open drawer.

Defense attorney Velia Lopez said Soderstrom did a great job, and she never saw the judge on the phone. Jari Askins, Oklahoma’s administrative director of the courts, declined to comment on the specifics of the case but said the conduct of judges is governed by the Code of Judicial Conduct, which states: “A judge shall act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence, integrity and impartiality of the judiciary.” The code does not specifically mention the use of mobile phones.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma State’s Star WR Might be Most Difficult to Replace

Published

7 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Oklahoma State’s Star WR Might be Most Difficult to Replace

Oklahoma State has plenty of talent to replace next season, but no one will be more difficult to replace than its star receiver.

Over the past few years, no one has embodied the OSU program better than Brennan Presley. Since he stepped on the field for the first time in 2020, he has been a symbol of consistency for the Pokes.

Although he has played significant roles on a couple of OSU teams that made the Big 12 Championship, he had no issues staying focused throughout the three-win campaign in 2024. In a season where it was easy to find the negatives in just about everything the Cowboys did, Presley remained a bright spot. Entering the season on the Biletnikoff watch list, Presley finished his final collegiate season with 90 catches for 767 yards and seven touchdowns.

The reason Presley will be so difficult to replace is not only because of his impressive numbers each season but also because of how consistent he has been at putting those numbers up.

His consistency led to him breaking the Cowboys’ all-time receptions record in 2024, becoming the first player to cross the 300-catch mark in an OSU uniform by ending his career with 315.

Without Presley out there to be a reliable target next season, there will be some growing pains for whoever suits up under center. Along with always being available for a pass, Presley could be used in a variety of ways.

While it wasn’t his best ability, Presley was also occasionally used as a rusher throughout his career. He ended his OSU tenure with 30 rush attempts for 160 yards and six touchdowns, with most of his carries used as a wrinkle near the goal line.

Of course, the five-year Cowboy was well-known for his ability to return on special teams. His most notable was a kickoff return touchdown in Bedlam in 2021, and 1,667 kick and punt return yards helped him break 5,000 career all-purpose yards.

Want to join the discussion? Like Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Cowboys news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma 8-year-old girl missing, father dead after SUV crash in Texas flood

Published

15 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Oklahoma 8-year-old girl missing, father dead after SUV crash in Texas flood

An 8-year-old Oklahoma girl is still missing in Texas after floodwaters carried away the family SUV on Christmas Eve.

According to local reports in Sherman, Texas, the SUV ran off the road into a drainage ditch before succumbing to the flood. The Sherman Police Department said six people were inside the vehicle when it crashed.

Four family members were rescued. CBS News reported that the missing girl’s father, Will Robinson, did not survive. Robinson was a coach for the Durant High School Lady Lions basketball team.

By the afternoon of Christmas Day, searchers had covered seven miles of creek in the area without success.

“We are shifting our focus into the county, targeting some possible locations where we have not looked to as yet,” the department wrote on Facebook Wednesday. “Our search will continue until dark today, then we will resume searching again (Thursday) before daylight.”

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma 111-65 Omaha (Dec 22, 2024) Game Recap – ESPN

Published

24 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

Oklahoma 111-65 Omaha (Dec 22, 2024) Game Recap – ESPN

NORMAN, Okla. — — Raegan Beers matched a career high with 28 points, and No. 10 Oklahoma rolled past Omaha 111-65 on Sunday.

Beers, a 6-foot-4 center, made 11 of 13 field goals and grabbed nine rebounds to help Oklahoma win its fifth straight since an overtime loss to Duke.

Skylar Vann had 12 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and Kiersten Johnson added 12 points for the Sooners (11-1). Oklahoma scored at least 100 points for the third time this season after entering the day ranked fourth nationally with 90.7 points per game.

Ja Harvey scored 21 points and Cora Olsen added 15 for Omaha. The Mavericks (8-5) had won seven straight since a 79-77 loss to Wisconsin, but gave up a season-high point total against the Sooners.

Oklahoma led 52-34 at halftime, with Beers producing 15 points and six rebounds.

The Sooners exploded in the third quarter, outscoring the Mavericks 35-25 to take an 87-59 lead. It matched the most points Oklahoma has scored in a quarter this season. The Sooners made 14 field goals and five 3-pointers in the period.

Takeaways

Omaha: Aside from Harvey, none of the Mavericks could get going. Harvey made 8 of 14 field goals while the rest of the team made 15 of 52.

Oklahoma: The Sooners continued to bully opponents in the paint and beat them with pace. They outrebounded the Mavericks 57-33 and forced 20 turnovers.

Key moment

Oklahoma set the tone from the beginning by scoring the game’s first eight points. The Sooners led 26-10 at the end of the first quarter.

Key stat

Omaha made just 2 of 21 3-pointers while Oklahoma made 13 of 35.

Up next

Omaha hosts North Dakota on Jan. 2. Oklahoma hosts New Mexico State on Dec. 29.

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