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Posted: 2/10/2016 1:53:21 PM EDT
From McAlester, OK, and chock-full of lab-grade WTF:
"The preliminary hearing started with an intense exchange between prosecutors Scharn and Christina Burns and Stites' defense attorney, Jeremy Beaver, over the issue of whether the victim should be allowed to have her grandfather sit next to her while she testified. Beaver told the court a main defense is whether the alleged victim is competent to testify or if she was coached to accuse Stites of the crimes. Once Beaver said he had his concerns about the victim's competency, a noise was made in the area where the child's family was sitting in the courtroom. Immediately, Sheets demanded silence during the proceedings and warned any outbursts wouldn't be tolerated. The attorney's agreed a district attorney's office representative would be allowed to sit with the now 4-year-old while she testified. It was during the victim's testimony when things quickly turned ugly. Burns asked the victim if she could identify her assailant in the courtroom. The victim gave an answer, but the answer was not completely audible. Burns said she thought the victim said something along the lines of "I don't know," but the victim's father wanted to point out she had said "I don't want to look at him." The father was quickly shushed by family around him, but Beaver pointed out the outburst as a conflict because he feared the child would now answer questions seeking approval from family members. Sheets ordered the father leave the courtroom. "Can I come back?" the father asked Sheets. Sheets told the father that he was not allowed back in the courtroom and the father took exception. While exiting the the courtroom the father used explicit language to convey his displeasure with the court and loudly pushed open the courtroom door. Sheets ordered Pittsburg County Sheriff Deputy Mike Cathey to arrest the father for being in contempt in court." A whole bunch more at the link: Stites bound over on single felony; father of child jailed Rating: an easy  out of
ETA: Title edit, girl was 3 when it happened, now 4 years old. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 9:52:36 PM EDT
[#1]
I know every single person involved in this case.
Jeremy..( a friend in HS and played sports with) Martin... Sheets..( has no business being on a bench) Cathey.. and the victims family. the entire thing is bizarre.my family has been keeping up with it very closely since they live there. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 9:57:49 PM EDT
[#2]
What a cluster.
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Posted: 2/10/2016 9:58:25 PM EDT
[#3]
Dad got thrown out for disrupting court proceedings
Just like everybody else would. Unless I'm wrong, in which case please correct me. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:04:00 PM EDT
[#4]
Aren't there special child abuse procedures set up for just this sort of thing? To establish a safe and unbiased way for the child to make their statements without having to confront their molester in a full public court hearing?
Seems bizarre to me that the Court would proceed with a case like this and make the child testify in the same manner that an adult would have to. And isn't the father legally required to be present while his minor child is being questioned by law enforcement or a court? |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:10:17 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Dad got thrown out for disrupting court proceedings Just like everybody else would. Unless I'm wrong, in which case please correct me. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:12:00 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm real sorry if something terrible happened to the little girl but that doesn't excuse proper behavior in court. Judge can and will dole out time like it was candy for contempt or any similar behavior he doesn't like. It's real sad but you better know, you show up to court well dressed and keep your comments to yourself or else! Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Dad got thrown out for disrupting court proceedings Just like everybody else would. Unless I'm wrong, in which case please correct me. Unless it's a sham court and the judge is protecting a former police officer who maybe a friend.... 
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:15:16 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Unless it's a sham court and the judge is protecting a former police officer who maybe a friend.... Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Dad got thrown out for disrupting court proceedings Just like everybody else would. Unless I'm wrong, in which case please correct me. Unless it's a sham court and the judge is protecting a former police officer who maybe a friend.... Or, the family really was trying to coach the kid or influence her testimony, and got called on it. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:15:43 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Unless it's a sham court and the judge is protecting a former police officer who maybe a friend....
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Dad got thrown out for disrupting court proceedings Just like everybody else would. Unless I'm wrong, in which case please correct me. Unless it's a sham court and the judge is protecting a former police officer who maybe a friend....
Judges scream at three different types of people. Bailiffs, Prosecutors, and Cops. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:18:54 PM EDT
[#9]
A year for contempt of court
 
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:22:58 PM EDT
[#10]
I would say that, considering the age of his daughter, a year in jail is a trifle harsh.
Seriously, the judge expected this to go smoothly, with that arrangement? However, the part that really makes me shake my head is this question: does a 4-year old belong on the witness stand during a preliminary hearing? |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:24:25 PM EDT
[#11]
As a fellow Okie, who lives in the SW part of the state, I have family in Eastern Ok and wouldn't be a bit surprised if everyone in the court room was related by blood or marriage or both
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:26:16 PM EDT
[#12]
Authorities at the time said a forensic analysis of the child indicated she'd been sexually assaulted. Authorities also said there was evidence to indicate the victim's clothing was burned after the fact. After the father was taken away from the courtroom, the preliminary hearing started again. The child offered testimony, using a nickname for Stites, indicating the individual had touched her with his hand on her private areas. However, many of the questions asked by Burns to the 4-year-old were met with a "I don't know" response and her telling officials she did not want to answer some of the questions. Scharn volunteered to dismiss a count of lewd molestation against Stites, citing he did not believe prosecutors had reached the burden of proof to move forward. Sheets said he did not believe there was enough evidence to bound Stites over on either abuse charge as well. But, Sheets did bound Stites over on one count of lewd molestation because of the child's testimony. Seems pretty evident that Stites DID do something to the girl. The COC prevents me from commenting further on what I would do if I was the girl's father. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:26:56 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Unless it's a sham court and the judge is protecting a former police officer who maybe a friend....
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Dad got thrown out for disrupting court proceedings Just like everybody else would. Unless I'm wrong, in which case please correct me. Unless it's a sham court and the judge is protecting a former police officer who maybe a friend....
not a sham court. for sure. I know these people. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:27:39 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Or, the family really was trying to coach the kid or influence her testimony, and got called on it. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Dad got thrown out for disrupting court proceedings Just like everybody else would. Unless I'm wrong, in which case please correct me. Unless it's a sham court and the judge is protecting a former police officer who maybe a friend....
Or, the family really was trying to coach the kid or influence her testimony, and got called on it. Beav called them on it from the start.( and yes, we called him Beav) |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:29:00 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
As a fellow Okie, who lives in the SW part of the state, I have family in Eastern Ok and wouldn't be a bit surprised if everyone in the court room was related by blood or marriage or both Ummm no. not in Mac |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:31:34 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Aren't there special child abuse procedures set up for just this sort of thing? To establish a safe and unbiased way for the child to make their statements without having to confront their molester in a full public court hearing? Seems bizarre to me that the Court would proceed with a case like this and make the child testify in the same manner that an adult would have to. And isn't the father legally required to be present while his minor child is being questioned by law enforcement or a court? I was wondering the same thing. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:31:38 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Seems pretty evident that Stites DID do something to the girl. The COC prevents me from commenting further on what I would do if I was the girl's father. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Authorities at the time said a forensic analysis of the child indicated she'd been sexually assaulted. Authorities also said there was evidence to indicate the victim's clothing was burned after the fact. After the father was taken away from the courtroom, the preliminary hearing started again. The child offered testimony, using a nickname for Stites, indicating the individual had touched her with his hand on her private areas. However, many of the questions asked by Burns to the 4-year-old were met with a "I don't know" response and her telling officials she did not want to answer some of the questions. Scharn volunteered to dismiss a count of lewd molestation against Stites, citing he did not believe prosecutors had reached the burden of proof to move forward. Sheets said he did not believe there was enough evidence to bound Stites over on either abuse charge as well. But, Sheets did bound Stites over on one count of lewd molestation because of the child's testimony. Seems pretty evident that Stites DID do something to the girl. The COC prevents me from commenting further on what I would do if I was the girl's father. this is something we have wondered. the forensic evidence is very weak from what I am told. half of the people back home think that something happened, but aren't positive. the other half are in total disbelief. tossing out most of the charges, changed the game. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:32:46 PM EDT
[#18]
Does the courthouse lobby have pay phones?
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:42:18 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Does the courthouse lobby have pay phones? I know what you're sayin. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:43:52 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I know what you're sayin. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Does the courthouse lobby have pay phones? I know what you're sayin. Yep. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 10:46:14 PM EDT
[#21]
According to the local paper, the judge suspended the sentence and the dad was released yesterday.
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Posted: 2/10/2016 11:02:27 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Does the courthouse lobby have pay phones? take my word for that the people in Pitt Co have no problems shooting someone. I watched a guy remove a leg of a dude at a car lot with a A5 one afternoon over a woman. this case is bizarre. |
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Posted: 2/10/2016 11:18:59 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
According to the local paper, the judge suspended the sentence and the dad was released yesterday. Good. |
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