Four accused of sexual assault want prosecutor removed from case

(Tulsa-AP) -- A Tulsa County judge will hear evidence next week on a motion to prevent the Tulsa County District Attorney's office from prosecuting four men on rape and sexual assault charges.

Edward Ray Farley Junior, Steve Anthony Nall, Randall Scott Dunnam and Brien Ernest McCormick are accused of groping a Tulsa woman and raping her cousin. The alleged attacks occurred at a cookout at Classic Chevrolet in Owasso.

Defense attorneys contend that prosecutors acted as investigators when they interviewed one of the women, which they say makes the prosecutors witnesses in the case.

Assistant District Attorney Sharon Ashe says the defense is misstating the facts, and that prosecutors routinely meet with possible crime victims before charges are filed.

If the District Attorney's Office is disqualified from the case the Attorney General's Office will be asked to appoint another prosecutor to the case.