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A dramatic confrontation outside the Sequoyah County courthouse has escalated into an ultimatum for Sallisaw Police Chief Franklin: resign by Friday or face a criminal grand jury investigation. The demand comes just one day after City Manager Keith Skelton resigned following intense public pressure at a city council meeting.
The Traffic Stop That Started Everything
Sean Buckner thought he was having a routine day when Officer Houston Murray pulled him over for a burned-out high beam bulb. In broad daylight. What Buckner didn't know was that the officer who stopped him was a twice-deserter from the Navy with criminal convictions who should never have been wearing a badge.
The incident sparked an investigation that uncovered a disturbing pattern of misconduct within the Sallisaw Police Department, led by activists and citizen journalists who refused to let the matter fade away.
A Department in Crisis
The allegations paint a picture of systemic dysfunction that extends far beyond a questionable traffic stop. Jason Price, a man with known mental health issues who had been hospitalized during three previous arrests, died by suicide in the back of Officer Lolita Armor's police vehicle. Armor allegedly drove for 30 minutes before discovering Price had strangled himself with a seatbelt.
Another incident involved Officer Houston Murray allowing a suspect to grab his weapon, resulting in Murray accidentally shooting fellow officer Desa Nef in the leg at a horse stable. Murray subsequently left the police force to become a school teacher.
The department's troubles don't end there. Officer Blake Griffy was recently removed from his position as school resource officer amid allegations of inappropriate conduct with a student.
The Body Camera Pattern
Perhaps most troubling is what investigators describe as a pattern of "criminal conduct" regarding body camera usage. According to the activists leading the charge, every officer-involved shooting in recent memory occurred with inactive body cameras. The only exception was when one officer shot another.
Citizens are now demanding answers about whether this represents equipment failure or something more deliberate.
Power in Numbers
The tide turned at a recent city council meeting when concerned citizens packed the chamber. What was expected to be a 3-2 vote to retain City Manager Keith Skelton became a 4-0 vote refusing to renew his contract. The pressure forced Skelton's resignation the following day.
The victory emboldened activists who are now setting their sights on Police Chief Franklin with an unprecedented strategy: a citizen-initiated grand jury petition.
The Grand Jury Gambit
Oklahoma law allows citizens to petition for a grand jury investigation with just 1,500 signatures from county residents. The petition will include allegations ranging from excessive force to financial mismanagement of city funds, including $700,000 in interest payments on an unused water park loan.
But the most serious allegation involves Bobby Joe Tagle, who was allegedly assaulted by Officer Murray while handcuffed to a bench. Photographs show facial injuries that activists claim resulted from the incident.
The petition deadline looms, and Chief Franklin faces a choice that will define not just his career, but the future of law enforcement in Sallisaw.
Watch the full press conference to see how this confrontation unfolds and what evidence activists plan to present to the grand jury.
