By Fox23.com News Staff
OKLAHOMA — A current and former Oklahoma lawmaker have filed a lawsuit against Tulsa County District Attorney Steven Kunzweiler, alleging he withheld records involving the Richard Glossip death penalty case.
Rep. Justin Humphrey (R-Lane) and former Rep. Kevin McDugle filed the lawsuit on May 12 in Tulsa County District Court.
The lawsuit requests the records that the lawmakers believe have been improperly withheld.
Rep. Humphrey said the requests relate to communications and records involving the Richard Glossip case, the District Attorneys Council and the role of current and former public officials using their public offices to oppose the Attorney General’s confession of past prosecutorial misconduct before the United States Supreme Court.
“District Attorney Kunzweiler recently stated that ‘Prosecutors are ministers of justice. We’re gatekeepers. If we misused the law for personal or political gain, we undermine the system.’ These principles are precisely why public transparency is so important when elected prosecutors take positions in matters of extraordinary public consequence, especially in a death penalty case,” said Rep. Humphrey.
“The United States Supreme Court ultimately rejected DA Kunzweiler’s and his fellow DA’s position and vacated Mr. Glossip’s conviction and death sentence, holding he was entitled to a new trial. The state is now prosecuting Mr. Glossip for a third time, and the public has a legitimate interest in understanding the role public officials and public agencies played and continue to play in those decisions,” said Rep. Humphrey.
Rep. Humphrey added that Oklahomans are entitled to know how their elected officials use public offices, public resources and public authority in cases involving the death penalty, prosecutorial misconduct and the administration of justice.
The DA’s office says they do not comment on ongoing litigation.
