Table of Contents
A routine records request at the Comanche County Courthouse turned into a constitutional showdown yesterday when local officials doubled down on their hostility toward citizen journalism. The incident began when an independent reporter returned to the same courthouse where he had been ejected under threat of arrest just one day earlier.
The Return That Sparked Outrage
The journalist came back with additional witnesses after being unlawfully removed from the courthouse the previous day. His crime? Filming public officials and calling out inappropriate behavior. When a sheriff's lieutenant had ordered a deputy to follow the reporter around the building with no justification, the journalist voiced his objection in blunt terms, calling the lieutenant an "idiot."
That honest assessment of poor police work resulted in an immediate ejection from the public building under threat of arrest. Rather than backing down, the reporter returned with backup cameras and witnesses to document how Comanche County treats citizens who dare to hold officials accountable.
County Commissioner Reveals Troubling Patterns
During an unexpected encounter outside the courthouse, County Commissioner Johnny Owens provided surprising transparency about ongoing problems. The commissioner acknowledged that one of his colleagues uses personal cell phones for county business but doesn't preserve the communications, despite state law requiring such records be maintained.
The conversation took a darker turn when discussing a pending sexual harassment lawsuit against the county. Another commissioner has allegedly sent inappropriate text messages to county employees, creating a liability that taxpayers will ultimately fund. Owens seemed genuinely concerned about the pattern of misconduct and its financial impact on residents.
Environmental Concerns and Corporate Interests
The commissioner also addressed community fears about a proposed cobalt mining operation on what may be sacred Native American land. Owens admitted he lacks knowledge about the environmental impacts but expressed willingness to learn more about the dangers such operations pose to local communities and groundwater.
The mining project represents exactly the kind of environmental injustice that typically gets imposed on poor and minority communities while wealthy areas remain untouched. Owens seemed genuinely open to examining whether proper procedures were being followed or if corporate interests were steamrolling community concerns.
Sheriff's Department Doubles Down on Censorship
The confrontation intensified when the journalist attempted to file complaints about the previous day's constitutional violations. Sheriff's deputies immediately became hostile when asked basic questions about their policies and procedures. One detective refused to answer questions about body camera policies while failing to activate his own camera during the encounter.
When the reporter requested public records including use of force reports, officials claimed they couldn't provide legally mandated documents. The sheriff himself appeared and defended his lieutenant's decision to eject citizens for expressing displeasure with police conduct.
Constitutional Crisis in Real Time
The retiring sheriff made clear he believes citizens have no right to call officers "idiots" even when those officers violate constitutional rights. He threatened arrest for protected speech while simultaneously claiming to respect the First Amendment. The contradiction was stark and telling.
Most disturbing was the sheriff's casual threat of violence when the journalist mentioned the legal right to make a citizen's arrest for official misconduct. Rather than addressing the underlying constitutional violations, officials circled the wagons to protect their own from accountability.
The Showdown That Reveals Everything
Watch the full confrontation to see how far these officials will go to silence criticism and avoid transparency.
