Judge throws out charges against former deputy

MIAMI, Okla.- Former Delaware County Deputy Bill Stout is free after evidence tampering and perjury charges against him were thrown out by an Ottawa County judge.<br><br>Associate District Judge Robert

Wednesday, August 30th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MIAMI, Okla.- Former Delaware County Deputy Bill Stout is free after evidence tampering and perjury charges against him were thrown out by an Ottawa County judge.

Associate District Judge Robert Reavis ruled Tuesday that a 1998 deferred prosecution agreement involving Stout was valid.

Stout had been charged in April with two counts of perjury and two counts of preparing false evidence in a Delaware County case.

A closed hearing was requested on whether a deferred prosecution existed. Delaware County Sheriff Jim Earp, former Undersheriff Kent Vice, Stout and former Delaware County District Attorney Ben Loring testified during the hearing.

Reavis ruled an agreement existed between the prosecution and Stout. He then dismissed the charges. Reavis said the details of the agreement are not available to the public.

Ottawa County Assistant District Attorney Fred DeMier, who filed the charges against Stout, said he didn't know of the deferred prosecution.

Stout had been charged after two deputies alleged that more methamphetamine made it into a court hearing than was seized in a raid. The charges stemmed from an 18-month Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation probe into testimony Stout gave at hearings against Tammy and Robert Phillips.

They were charged in 1998, but the charges were dismissed after the deputies questioned Stout's testimony.