Videos Show TCSO Previous Transactions With Fatal Shooting Victim

TCSO says just as they received many open records requests for the video showing Harris being shot, they also got requests for the drug videos, so they released them also.

Wednesday, April 22nd 2015, 8:01 pm

By: News On 6

Videos Show TCSO Previous Transactions With Fatal Shooting Victim

Eric Harris was buried on Wednesday.

His family held a memorial service for him last weekend, but wanted a second autopsy.

Tulsa County Reserve Deputy Bob Bates killed Harris on April 2 moments after Harris was caught on tape selling a gun to another undercover deputy.

Tulsa County deputies say Harris had been caught on videotape in the days before his death, selling drugs to an undercover deputy. They say just as they received many open records requests for the video showing Harris being shot, they also got requests for the drug videos, so they released them also.

They say the date stamp is wrong because the deputies didn't update it on the recorder.

Eric Harris: "You don't trust me man?"
Deputy: "I just don't know you, through that 50."
Harris; "I tell you what, since you skeptical."
Deputy: "Just kinda scary."
Harris: "You ain't got nothing to be worried about. I'm a good dude, man."
Deputy: "All right."

The sheriff's office says undercover work is very dangerous and when a deputy is pretending to be someone else, especially a criminal, they have to look and talk the part.

Records show Harris has been in and out of prison since the late 1980s for theft, escape, armed robbery and assaulting a police officer. He was sent to prison in 1999 for 25 years, but was released last August.

Deputy: "Gonna have my stuff?"
Harris: "Got my word brother."
Deputy: "If it's good s---, we'll keep doing business."
Harris: "I don't deal in nothing else man."

The videos show how long these operations can last -- they meet, they part ways, they meet up again, drugs and money are exchanged, then, it starts over again.

During one deal, the deputy asks about buying a sawed-off shotgun.

Harris: "No, but I've got a 9mm I'll sell."
Deputy: "How much?"
Harris: "9mm Ruger."
Deputy: "Sweet, how much?"
Harris: "It's about a $700 gun but I take 3 for it."
Harris: "Guy I got it from, is a dead man's, he's deceased."
Deputy: "Oh, OK."
Harris: "Not like he was murdered, deceased, it's clean."
Deputy: “Right, right."

Harris says he can get guns with serial numbers and without and the two agree to meet up at a later time.

On April second, video shows Harris handing a gun over to the undercover deputy.

When other deputies moved in for the arrest, Harris jumped out of the truck and ran.

They say after they caught him, reserve deputy Bates, who was working the perimeter of the sting operation, mistakenly fired his gun instead of his Taser and Harris later died.

Harris' family calls the shooting evil and their attorney has raised lots of questions about Bates' training, his donations to the sheriff's office and much more.

Bates has been charged with second-degree manslaughter.

We called Harris' family attorney about the newly released videos, but he didn't want to make a statement right now.

Special Coverage: TCSO Reserve Deputy Shooting Controversy