Inmate claims prosecutors offered, rescinded plea agreement

Saturday, July 2nd 2005, 3:21 pm

By: News On 6

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) _ Prosecutors offered then rescinded a plea agreement that would have granted immunity to the wife of an assistant warden who disappeared more than 10 years ago with an inmate, the prisoner claims.

In a letter to the Tulsa World, Randolph Dial said that he, his attorneys and Greer County District Attorney John Wampler had agreed to the deal before a preliminary hearing last week, but Wampler withdrew it.

Wampler, to whom the newspaper faxed a portion of Dial's letter that was addressed to him, said he and Dial's public defenders had discussed a guilty plea, but a promise that Bobbi Parker or anyone else would be shielded from possible prosecution wasn't included.

``There's no way on earth that I would enter into such a plea agreement, and an agreement like that would be very odd _ the investigation isn't even done yet,'' Wampler said.

``Mr. Dial wants to try and control the conduct of the prosecution of this case and I don't intend to allow that to happen.''

Dial waived his right to the preliminary hearing and a formal arraignment date was set for Aug. 4.

In the letter, Dial wrote that he would plead guilty to the escape charge that was filed when authorities said he fled the Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite in 1994. He would plead guilty to kidnapping Bobbi Parker should charges ever be brought, and serve five years after his life sentence for murdering martial arts instructor Kelly Hogan was complete, Hogan wrote.

The only catch was that prosecutors couldn't charge Bobbi Parker or anyone else for allegedly helping him to escape or harboring him afterward.

``My reason for offering the above terms is obvious and quite simple,'' Dial wrote, addressing Wampler.

``First, I am guilty of both crimes. Second ... I alone kidnapped her and immediately placed a terrible yoke of fear upon every aspect of her life for 10 1/2 years...''

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has been looking into the circumstances of Dial's escape since he was captured April 6 living with Parker near a chicken farm in Campti, Texas.

OSBI spokeswoman Jessica Brown said investigators still have interviews to complete and that the inquiry should be wrapped up ``in a month or two.''

Wampler said the OSBI has apparently not interviewed Parker yet.

``It's not on the back burner and drawing dust,'' Wampler told the newspaper. ``It's a very active investigation and keeps generating potential witnesses.''

Dial, now 60, left with Parker, now 43, on Aug. 30, 1994, authorities said. He had trusty status and access to a kiln in the garage of Bobbi and Randy Parker's home.

Parker contacted her mother and a friend soon after the prison break, but no one heard from her after that.

Bobbi Parker, Randy Parker _ who was an assistant warden at Granite and is now warden at the William S. Key Correctional Center at Fort Supply _ and their daughters should be spared the pain of being put under an investigative microscope, Dial said.

``I believe all agree the entire Parker family, especially (daughters) Robbi and Brandi, have suffered enough to last 10 lifetimes,'' Dial wrote.