5/4/07 -- OKC, OK - As
previously reported, jurors who unanimously
acquitted local attorney Mike Gassaway said they did so because it was obvious Gassaway had been setup by members of the Oklahoma City Vice Unit.
As
published in the Daily Oklahoman...
"There was little debate Tuesday as an Oklahoma County jury decided attorney Mike Gassaway was not guilty of soliciting sex from a client. 'It was an easy decision,' juror Roxy Hakin said after the three-man, three-woman panel deliberated for about half an hour. Hakin, 26, said jurors were swayed by defense attorney Scott Adams' argument that the 56-year-old Oklahoma City attorney was set up by police."
A the center of the prosecution's case were two taped recordings, secretly made by confidential informant Christina Davidson. The police, prosecutors and former
Oklahoma County District Attorney Wes Lane proclaimed to the public that those recordings would be Gassaway's undoing.
In reality, it was those very recordings that proved Gassaway's allegation that he had been targeted and setup by a vindictive and incompetent OKC Vice Unit and former D.A. Lane. The reason? Gassaway is often critical of city leaders and has taken legal action against the city and police in the past.
To add insult to injury, Vice's own confidential informant and witness for the prosecution (Davidson) had secretly double-crossed vice and was wearing her own wire when she met with them.
Police allegedly call Gassaway a "scum bag," "a bad lawyer," and even "Satan." Oklahoma City Vice officers go so far as to tell Davidson she would be their "hero if she helped get Gassaway."
And who are the Vice officers at the center of this case of incompetence? Officers Jason Hodges and Christopher (Chris) Swanson.
Officers can even been heard to ask Davidson, "Did you get sassy with him [Gassaway]?"
As
FOX25 News pointed out in their recent exclusive follow-up story, when Gassaway was arrested, then Oklahoma County District Attorney Wes Lane blatantly told several lies to the public. Lane's lies were an attempt to gain public support while serving to embarrass Gassaway and deprive him of a fair trial.
Former D.A. Lane, who calls himself the 'Minister of Justice,' began spinning his lies from the day of Gassaway's arrest.
In a
statement released to the media, Lane made several assertions.
"This female [Davidson] had originally been arrested by another law enforcement agency on a routine traffic stop at which time drug paraphernalia was found in her car."
In reality, Davidson was not "stopped" at all. OHP responded to a citizen call of a woman passed out behind the wheel of her car that was on the side of the highway. More importantly, Davidson had much more on her than simple "drug paraphernalia." Davidson admitted to police she had recently done drugs and was in possession of cocaine and meth. Furthermore, Davidson was not even "arrested," as stated by Lane. Though Davidson could have been charged with numerous felony crimes, she was driven home and tucked into bed by police after she agreed to help them setup Gassaway.
"Without any promises made to her..."
Again, Lane refuses to let the facts get in the way of a good story to the public. In reality, Davidson testified that she was promised she would not face any charges for driving high, and being in the possession of drugs if she helped police. Additionally, Davidson testified that OKC Vice told her they would take care of her
boyfriends latest felony DUI charge.
"Finally, on the night of his arrest, Mr. Gassaway and his attorney, Scott Adams, claimed that Gassaway was nothing other than the innocent victim of my office and the Oklahoma City Police Department."
Seems those assertions by Gassaway and Adams were justified by the jurors acquittal and subsequent comments to the media.
"In response to Mr. Gassaway and his lawyer's claim that the only guilty people in this matter work for me and the police, I'll just say this - This entire matter was recorded and real men don't make excuses and they don't blame other people for their own moral failures.
I would encourage Mr. Adams and Mr. Gassaway to stop blaming other people and start excepting some responsibility."
JohnTV.com's only response to this arrogant statement by the "Minister of Justice" is that we encourage Lane to "start accepting responsibility" and admit to what was so painfully obvious to the jurors and citizens of Oklahoma County - the same citizens that saw through your B.S. and
voted you out of office last year - you are an evil, self-absorbed man and a hypocrite to your faith you wear so pompously on your sleeve.
The Gassaway case is a blatant example of how Oklahoma City Vice, with the full knowledge and encouragement of the D.A.'s office, are willing and able to use their trusted position in society to enforce their will over enforcing the law.
Read more about Oklahoma City Vice in our ongoing investigative article "
the seedy side of vice."
You can also watch another example of
Vice's willingness to lie and deceive the public by clicking here.
