In April 2023, a recording clip was released by father-and-son journalists from southeast Oklahoma. The recording clip took created a stir and sparked concerns as the clip exposed county officials talking about killing journalists and using racist remarks about black people. The audio clip with racist remarks and threatening language was reportedly released by a small-town newspaper based in Oklahoma, The McCurtain Gazette. As a result of a shocking audio clip that came to light, one commissioner stepped down from his position but the sheriff refused to resign. However, it was not the point where the trouble actually began. You are asked to stick with this page and go through this column till the end to know about the small-town scandal caught on tape sheriff. Scroll down the page.
Bruce and Chris Willingham. PHOTO: COURTESY BRUCE AND CHRIS WILLINGHAM
Small Town Scandal Caught On Tape Sheriff
Journalists father and son duo, Bruce Willingham and Chris Willingham have their family-owned newspaper “The McCurtain Gazette” where father Bruce works as a publisher while son Chris works as a reporter. They focus on law enforcement and the country courthouse. Bruce Willingham is 68 years of age while Chris is 40 years old, they have kept the public updated on the happenings of Idabel, Oklahoma.
The recorder that doubled as a ballpoint pen. COURTESY BRUCE & CHRIS WILLINGTON
McCurtain Gazette came to light when editor Bruce recorded the commissioner’s improper after-hours meetings. He actually tried four times to record the after-hours meeting, his first attempts failed because his secret voice recorder look like a ballpoint pen placed on the table was picked up by somebody else. Later Bruce got another recorder of the size of two postage stamps that he concealed and left powered on during the after-hours meeting.
Sheriff Kevin Clardy, right, with his son, Deputy Kyler Clardy. SHERIFF KEVIN CLARDY/FACEBOOK
Bruce was caught recording the commissioner on the fourth attempt. He told PEOPLE, They discovered that I was planting the device. And at that point, they tried to have me arrested.” The District Attorney did not charge Bruce as it was within his rights to leave the recorder.
Bobby and Barbara Barrick. GARRETT LAW
On March 6, Bruce listened to the audio recorded by a hidden microphone. He was shocked after hearing the shocking remarks by county officials. Bruce said, “It was just completely appalling. I went back and listened to it two or three times. I was just flabbergasted.” In the recording released by McCurtain Gazette, the county officials including Sheriff’s Investigator Alicia Manning, then-McCurtain Co. Commissioner Mark Jennings, and McCurtain Co. Sheriff Kevin Clardy made racist remarks and killing threats. In the clip, Commissioner Jennings says, “I’m gonna tell you something. If it was back in the day when [former sheriff] Alan Marston would take a damn Black guy and whoop their a– and throw him in the cell? I’d run for f—— sheriff.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn