State Dismisses 3 Of 4 Charges Against Former State ME Investigator

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- At the request of the state of Oklahoma, three sexual battery charges against a former investigator with the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's office were dismissed on Tuesday. 

Kevin Rowland was charged last August in Tulsa County District Court with four counts of sexual battery after a multi-county grand jury investigation into the ME's office. 

In February, the state amended one of those sexual battery charges to first degree rape.

2/16/2010 Related story: First Degree Rape Charge Filed Against Former ME Investigator

At Tuesday's hearing, the Oklahoma Attorney General's office asked that the three sexual battery charges be dropped. 

AG spokesperson Charlie Price says testimony as presented in court Tuesday, indicated the alleged sexual battery may have occurred outside the statute of limitations so the state decided to drop the charges. 

On the charge of first degree rape, the judge bound Rowland over for trial. 

The next court hearing for Rowland is May 3rd.