Tulsa judge says grand jury can review sheriff's operations

(AP) — A grand jury should review operations at an Oklahoma sheriff's office that sent onto the streets a 73-year-old reserve deputy who shot and killed an unarmed and restrained suspect, a judge ruled Tuesday.

District Judge Rebecca Nightingale ordered a grand jury to convene on July 20 after denying a motion by attorneys for Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz to disqualify the petition because circulators didn't attach a 33-page summary of specific allegations against the sheriff to the signature pages.

The petition was signed by more than 6,600 voters who want a grand jury to investigate whether Glanz neglected his duties and whether reservists who gave gifts to the sheriff were given special treatment.

Weeks after the shooting, a 2009 memo was leaked that raised concerns about the training for Bates, a friend of Glanz who has donated tens of thousands of dollars in equipment, vehicles and cash to the sheriff's office.

Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said he has asked the state attorney general to appoint another prosecutor to coordinate the grand jury investigation because the local prosecutor has traditionally provided legal counsel and advice to the sheriff's office.