An investigation by J.C. Hallman uncovered how the Texas County district attorney’s office quietly turned traffic stops into a multimillion-dollar cash machine. Drivers were pressured to pay “donations” directly to the DA’s office to avoid prosecution — with no court records, oversight, or due process. The scheme, which generated more than $2 million over six years, is now drawing federal scrutiny and calls for reform.
Two days after Oklahoma Watch visited Guymon, the district attorney chose to end the public safety emphasis program. After Oklahoma Watch published this story, we were flooded with tips from the panhandle. A series derived from those tips called Justice in No Man’s Land.
Seized for Seizing: Lack of Training Endangers Oklahomans with Epilepsy
Despite laudable recent progress in Oklahoma law, the story of Nikole Janowski reveals the inadequacy of response to individuals suffering from epilepsy, particularly in regard to law enforcement.
DIY Justice: In the Panhandle, You Might Have to Defend Yourself
The story of a Texas County mom uncovers irregularities in panhandle justice – small town conflicts of interest and snitch mills – and becomes a parable about when an accused…
Anonymous Source Sheds Light on Panhandle Police Impunity
A tip from a former Guymon police officer offers hard evidence of police abuses characteristic of rural Oklahoma.
Double Jeopardy: Two Levels of Justice in Rural Oklahoma
Two stories of injustice in a single family reveal a craven power imbalance in rural Oklahoma
Traffic Scheme Nets Texas County DA’s Office Millions
A drug task force in Oklahoma’s panhandle has been stopping truckers, then offering to make the problem go away for a $360 fee. That circumvents the courts and has added…