By Burt Mummolo, FOX23.com News Staff
Be careful what you say, that’s the lesson in the case of the man who thought he was blowing off some steam but wound up facing two counts of soliciting for murder.
“I was facing ten years to life, and that was the scariest thing I’ve ever been through,” said Ketih Cathey. He’s trying to get his life back on track after it was derailed last year.
“This whole thing just kind of got blown out of proportion,” he said.
Keith had called a plumber to come do some work and wound up venting to him about some folks he had lost a lawsuit to over some real estate.
“Just blowing off steam, had no idea,” he said.
No idea that the plumber, per company policy, was actually recording the conversation.
“I mean, I’m going through a lawsuit right now. These people sued me four years after I sold my f@#@*ng house. They’ve got bats in their house. If you know a hit man, I’d give $100,000 to have those people killed. I’m not even joking. I’d give you a thousand bucks to off those f@#@#rs,” read the transcript of the recording.
“Just blowing off steam. That’s all that was,” said Cathey.
Suddenly you’re hit with two charges of solicitation for murder. What’s that feeling like? “Felt like the floor dropped out from under me,” he said.
“I think it was pretty clear to the jury that Mr. Cathey was just blowing off steam, it wasn’t something that he was being serious about,” said attorney Keaton Taylor, one of Keith’s lawyers, who says law enforcement never bothered to question anyone.
“Really and truly this entire case could have been avoided with a few simple questions asking Mr. Cathey about his intentions,” said Taylor.
The Tulsa County DA’s told us in part, “Our office strives to find truth and seek justice in every case. We do this by presenting the judge and jury with the evidence we can lawfully admit in court…We do not shy away from complicated and dynamic cases, because we care about victims, and we care about preserving the rule of law.”
“I think that the jury was more appalled at the lack of any follow-up investigation,” said Taylor.
Take for instance, the fact that Keith’s wife and daughter were present for that conversation with the plumber.
Did you ever at once think, my husband really wants to kill somebody? “No, no he’s not that type at all,” said Farrah Cathey.
The jury didn’t think he was that type either, finding him not guilty on both counts.
“Very grateful that the jury saw through everything,” said Farrah.
“It’s pretty scary because you don’t know what could happen and you gotta just watch what you say,” said Keith.
“I think that we all have to be conscious of the things that we say, whether we know that we’re being recorded or not,” said Taylor.
This cost you dearly. “Yes it did,” said Keith. Tell me about the impact it had. “I had to get an attorney, had to bail out of jail. Lost my job,” he said.
Keith is now hoping to restore his reputation following a year of intense turmoil
“It’s been extremely stressful. The emotions in the house have been really hard, we’ve been dealing with a lot,” said Farrah.
“I just want to clear my name, and I just want everything to be just back to normal,” said Keith.
Full statement from Tulsa County DA’s Office;
“Our office strives to find truth and seek justice in every case. We do this by presenting the judge and jury with the evidence we can lawfully admit in court. We do our best to present this evidence and stand up for victims of crime, but we do not determine outcomes. We submit to the outcomes that judges and juries determine. We do not shy away from complicated and dynamic cases, because we care about victims, and we care about preserving the rule of law.”
