Fired Deputy Formally Announces Intent To Sue Tulsa County Sheriff's Office

For months, a former Tulsa County deputy has said he will file a lawsuit regarding his termination.

On Thursday, attorneys for 15-year TCSO veteran Shannon Clark sent a letter to the respective parties to formally announce the intent to file a tort claim.

The firm representing Clark says it will file suit for wrongful termination and lists TCSO, former sheriff Stanley Glanz, Tulsa County, acting sheriff Michelle Robinette, “and any of Clark’s direct supervisors or other persons in management that might have any liability for the claims set forth,” the letter says.

Clark, who earned the rank of Major and was TCSO’s public information officer, was terminated amid the initial fallout over the fatal shooting of Eric Harris.

TCSO Reserve Deputy Shooting Controversy

Harris was killed during an undercover sting in April 2015 after investigators say reserve deputy Bob Bates pulled his gun instead of his Taser by mistake.

It set off a chain of events, with Bates being charged with second-degree manslaughter, accusations of cronyism within the department, a grand jury probe into the sheriff’s office itself, and Glanz being charged with two misdemeanors -- one for accusations of travel stipend violations and the second for accusations of not releasing a 2009 internal report to the public.

Glanz since has resigned from office and undersheriff Rick Weigel was promoted to interim sheriff, then retired. Now Robinette serves in that capacity until the election in April 2016.

10/1/2016 Related Story: Fired Deputy Feels Vindicated By Grand Jury, Will File Suit Against Tulsa County

In October, Clark told News On 6 that once he became aware of that 2009 report, which was released to members of the media by an unnamed source, he thought Glanz at least should discuss it. The report showed complaints about Bates’ training, and as the spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, Clark said he urged Glanz to address it during that first major news conference after Harris was killed.

But he says the sheriff refused.

Glanz reportedly testified in front of the grand jury that he believed Clark had a hand in releasing the report. Clark has said he felt vindicated by the grand jury after no indictments were returned against him.

Thursday’s letter announcing intent to file a tort claim details the meeting at which Clark learned of his termination, which according to the document, was pinned directly on the release of the report Clark claims he had nothing to do with.

The letter says Robinette was at the meeting and read the results of her investigation into allegations against Clark.

“The limited and biased sham investigation conducted against Mr. Clark by Robinette resulted in baseless accusations that he harassed and intimidated his subordinates. After providing Mr. Clark a brief opportunity to respond, Glanz accused Mr. Clark of releasing the 2009 report. Mr. Clark stated that he did not release the 2009 report, which he had not, and Glanz replied that he had information that Mr. Clark had done so and that Mr. Clark could no longer work at TCSO and that Mr. Clark was fired.

“Mr. Clark was not terminated for just cause but rather was terminated by Glanz based upon allegations that were unsubstantiated, stale, sparse and petty. … The ‘investigation’ was merely a ruse designed to substantiate a predetermined decision to terminate Mr. Clark.”

The letter says Clark’s 15-year record was unblemished without a single reprimand until he was fired.

It also says that since being terminated, Clark has endured “continued retaliation” by the sheriff’s office. Clark's attorneys say Glanz denied Clark's requests to retain his badge and law enforcement commission, which reportedly is standard. Clark then made the same request of Glanz' interim replacement, Weigel, and was ignored, the letter says.