Woman Wrongfully Imprisoned In Tulsa Police Corruption Case Files Lawsuit

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- A woman who spent nearly two years behind bars because of what she calls corrupt testimony from a Tulsa police officer and former ATF agent filed a lawsuit against the City of Tulsa, the officer and the former agent Friday.

Larita Barnes is asking for more than $2 million in punitive damages. 

Barnes was indicted in 2007 on two criminal counts of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Records show she was sentenced to ten years in prison after a confidential informant, Ryan Logsdon, Tulsa police officer Jeff Henderson and ATF agent Brandon McFadden all testified that Logsdon bought meth from her and her father for $3,000.

3/31/2010 Related Story: Tulsa Police Officer, Former ATF Agent Accused Of Corruption

But Logsdon later claimed he lied. He said the officers actually gave him the cash and told him to say he bought it from Barnes and her father, Larry Barnes, who was sentenced to five years behind bars.

Both Larita and Larry Barnes' felony convictions were overturned and dismissed.

While she was in prison, Larita's son, 9-year-old Hershel Clark, was killed by an accused drunk driver when the boy got off the school bus near Mannford. He was the only boy of five children, and since Larita was in prison in Texas, she wasn't allowed to attend the funeral.

A number of Tulsa police officers have been indicted and a number of cases overturned as a result of a federal grand jury investigation into the department.

Earlier this year, McFadden admitted to stealing drugs, selling them and lying to send people to prison. He is awaiting sentencing.

Officer Jeff Henderson was one of four Tulsa police officers indicted in June. He remains behind bars and has not been allowed to post bail because the U.S. Attorney's Office thought he, along with Officer Bill Yelton, posed a threat to members of the community.

7/20/2010 Related Story: U.S. Attorney's Office: Two Indicted TPD Officers A Threat To Community