State audit of court spending set

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The state auditor and inspector says his office will look into spending by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.<br/><br/>Jeff McMahan says the audit was requested by appeals court

Thursday, January 13th 2005, 6:07 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The state auditor and inspector says his office will look into spending by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.

Jeff McMahan says the audit was requested by appeals court presiding judge Charles Chappel and will begin immediately.

Judge Stephen Lile[pictured] has reimbursed the state nearly $3,100 for purchases and travel.

The attorney general's office is investigating a personnel matter in the court, but the office hasn't said who the target of the probe is.

According to published reports, the investigation concerns allegations about how much work a former secretary did while on the state payroll and Lile's involvement in the criminal cases of the secretary's son.

Lile has declined comment.

The secretary, Dawn Lukasik, no longer works for the court. Her son, Loran Michael Wilson, is serving a four-year prison sentence on drug charges.