Published May 21, 2008 11:52 am -
Phone records, aide on latest round of Gray subpoenas
By BOB GIBBINS
TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS
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Phone records and a key aide to former District Attorney Richard Gray are listed on the latest round of subpoenas filed by attorneys representing the former prosecutor.
Gray, who was district attorney in Cherokee, Adair, Sequoyah and Wagoner counties from January 2003 to January 2007, is scheduled to be tried June 2 in Okmulgee on a single embezzlement count stemming from a multicounty grand jury investigation of his administration.
The trial was moved from Tahlequah to Okmulgee when both sides agreed to a change of venue. District Judge H. Michael Claver, of Okmulgee County, has been assigned to preside.
Subpoenas were sent to cellular phone companies seeking records pertaining to the number (918) 346-4737 from January 2004 to December 2005, and (918) 776-5041 from 2003-’05. The documents do not indicate to whom the phones were assigned during those times.
Arstest Vyrl Keeter, 76, has been subpoenaed to appear as a defense witness for Gray. Keeter was also indicted as a result of the grand jury investigation and is on a suspended five-year sentence for attempted subornation of perjury and perjury.
Stilwell attorney Rex Earl Starr, who briefly represented Gray during appearances before the multicounty grand jury, has also been directed to appear and testify on Gray’s behalf.
Clark Brewster, Gray’s current defense attorney, asked key prosecution witness Clint Johnson whether he ever borrowed or attempted to borrow money from Starr at Gray’s preliminary hearing. Johnson said he didn’t recall attempting to borrow money from Starr.
Prosecutors argued the issue was not relevant to the case, though Brewster claimed the matter was key because the defense believes Johnson took the money prosecutors say Gray took. Johnson has denied taking the money, and he and other witnesses say they saw Gray take the cash from a drug task force safe.
Other witnesses subpoenaed Tuesday are Chris Stephens and Kevin Kramer, of the state auditor’s office; Kevin Kramer of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics; Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Vicky Lyons; former Assistant DA Jeff Sheridan; former DA employees Courtney Bates, Pam Stephens, Jim Jones and Jeff Lancaster; and Tom Cunningham.