Multi-county grand jury issues 4 sealed indictments

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The state's multicounty grand jury, which has been investigating Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher, issued four sealed indictments on Wednesday.<br><br>Two people are named

Thursday, April 15th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The state's multicounty grand jury, which has been investigating Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher, issued four sealed indictments on Wednesday.

Two people are named in the indictments, according to the Office of Attorney General Drew Edmondson.

One indictment contained 22 counts. One indictment contained one count, one indictment contained two counts and another indictment contained three counts.

Two of the indictments will be unsealed in Oklahoma County District Court. One will be unsealed in Tulsa County District Court, and one will be unsealed in Rogers County District Court. The dates for the indictments to be unsealed have not been set.

After issuing the indictments, the grand jury, which has been investigating other matters besides Fisher's activities, adjourned its April session. It will reconvene on May 24.

Fisher made a brief appearance before the grand jury Wednesday, then headed to closed hearings before a judge before being excused.

Fisher, who has previously said he wasn't given a chance to give "complete answers" to prosecutors' questions, told the Tulsa World he asserted his right against self-incrimination

"I now recognize that that forum is to indict, not to exonerate, so therefore I invoked my Fifth Amendment rights under the Constitution and did not answer any questions," Fisher said. "They asked me two questions and got the same answer, so they just let me go. So I will not be going back anymore."

Fisher's attorney, Irven Box, told The Daily Oklahoman he doesn't believe the commissioner was re-indicted Wednesday, but he has not received official word from prosecutors.

Another of Box's clients, Faye Worthen, also testified briefly before the grand jury. Worthen, director of administration and finance for the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology, is under investigation as a possible "ghost" employee, center officials have indicated. "Ghost" employees are those paid for work they never performed.

Fisher also is the subject of an ongoing investigation by a special legislative committee that will determine whether he should be impeached.

The committee voted Wednesday to subpoena records from the state Ethics Commission and to launch a search for an outside counsel to help with its probe.

Fisher was reprimanded by the Ethics Commission for using his official position to obtain confidential employment records of his opponent during his 2002 re-election campaign.

A previous grand jury investigation led to four felony counts against Fisher that related to operating a charity illegally and embezzling insurance education money. A top aide, Opal Ellis, also was charged.

The grand jury has investigated Fisher's relationship with Florida attorney Norman Taplin. Fisher wrote a $35,855 check to Taplin two weeks after they attended the 2002 Super Bowl in New Orleans together.

The check was for attorney fees and expenses using a Heritage National Insurance Co. bank account, even though the chief executive of that failed company contends the legal bill should not have been paid.