Apparently, it's all over as Wes Lane does an about-face

[okcnative]

Television news stations are now reporting that Wes Lane decided to drop his appeal and the jurors are being called back to the courthouse.

This is just bizarre.

I think Wes Lane was:

1. Having knee jerk reaction because it involved Bates

2. Trying to get attention from the press during an election year

3. Trying to make people think Bates is somehow working with Lane's opponent and therefore, costing the county money. (After all, if there's no dirt on his opponent, David Prater, make something up. Try to align a good man with a nutcase like Bates)

4. Trying to show his muscle after he did NOT get the endorsement from the Fraternal Order of Police. Maybe he thought he could sway them to vote for him if he gave Bates a hard time. It was, after all, Bates who videotaped the Donald Pete beating at the hands of OKC Police.

Here's something to think about:
If Wes Lane didn't realize he could handle this is in a better and more economical way, if Wes Lane knew he couldn't get the courts to agree with him to dismiss the jury pool, and through his actions Lane cost the county and thus taxpayers $13,000 through his actions yesterday, then DOES WES LANE HAVE THE LEGAL SMARTS and THE PUBLIC SERVANT'S COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY TO REMAIN AS OUR D.A.?

I'm thinking not.

[Midtowner]

I think it's more a maturity issue than anyone else. As D.A., you need to be above people like Bates. If Lane had just let his only comments be heard in the court room instead of feeding the media monster, he would be quite a bit ahead of things.

My experience with the OKC media from the perspective of commenting on litigation is this: If you represent to them that the facts of the case are very complicated and you go into an in depth and complicated analysis of those facts, they MIGHT run the story once, but it will be dropped after that point.

I've never once seen a case where the D.A. helped himself by making sure the media got 'both sides.'

[Pete]

Bates is obviously accomplishing his mission by 1) get lots of media attention for his cause and 2) rattling Wes Lane.

[drumsncode]

I love those tabloid style flyers Bates is handing out, I wish I had one. The guy is creative and tenacious, I'll give him that.

We probably need a lot more people like him in the world to dog all our corrupt government officials. Maybe then our taxes wouldn't be so high.

Just vote for Prater, his wife Tamara will ensure that he stays on the straight and narrow.

[okcnative]

It's not "over," as I thought. Lane plans to ask the Attorney General toappoint another prosecutor to investigate whether Bates broke any laws when he passed out fliers at the courthouse Monday, according to newsok.com.

But still, the jury pool is back at the Oklahoma County courthouse now.

I agree with you, though. Lane went for making his argument in front of the media rather than choosing to handle the situation with the integrity and reserve that should have been used by a District Attorney. Yes, the public has a right to know. But there are more proper ways to present the story to the media.

[Midtowner]

The County needs to retain a PR firm after this election cycle to get its image fixed regarless of who wins. The PR firm needs to be on retainer for public officers to contact so that they don't embarass Oklahoma County.

I think this would be money well spent. The Chamber of Commerce might even be able to find someone to volunteer -- after all, if you're trying to lure big business to OKC, and you see this lack of professionalism from county officers, would you locate a large facility here as opposed to another county? While not determinitive, I think this may factor into a decision.

[okcnative]

Drumsncode,

I have an idea. If Wes Lane won't debate David Prater, why don't we have the candidates' wives debate?

THE CANDIDATES' WIVES DEBATE
For the office Oklahoma County District Attorney
Tamara Pratt (Prater) v. Dr. Lori Hansen (Lane)

[drumsncode]

Drumsncode,

I have an idea. If Wes Lane won't debate David Prater, why don't we have the candidates' wives debate?

THE CANDIDATES' WIVES DEBATE
For the office Oklahoma County District Attorney
Tamara Pratt (Prater) v. Dr. Lori Hansen (Lane)

When the facts are not readily available, you can judge a lot about a man by the wife he has. (I just made that up, can ya tell?)

I hope News9 will carry this debate, but sadly, they seem to have excluded Tamara from any airtime lately, despite repeated interviews with people from the MIPT. Maybe Tamara is simply not in the public eye, or could it be a deliberate snubbing of Tamara for leaving them high and dry, ruining their claims to weekend superiority in the ratings? Hmmmmmm....

[okcnative]

When the facts are not readily available, you can judge a lot about a man by the wife he has. (I just made that up, can ya tell?) --- Drumsncode

Very good way to put it, Drumscode. Absolutely you can tell a lot about a man when you look at his wife.

I think a debate between the wives would be perfect in this race! Especially since Wes won't debate Prater.

Maybe Wes's wife has enough confidence in him to answer the tough questions for him. I know Tamara has all the confidence in the world in David Prater and would do a great job representing him in a debate. They could even charge admission! Maybe donate it to charity. I would pay to see it.

Just a note: Tamara didn't leave KWTV. KWTV lost Tamara on their own by stalling around with her contract to save a few bucks while they stalled, by not valuing her talent and by not treating her with the respect she deserved. So she went to the Institute on Terrorism where she is valued, respected AND she can make a difference in the world. And yes, I would imagine News9 probably tries to avoid airing stories that include her since they don't want their viewers to realize how badly they screwed up by losing her.

[Midtowner]

Y'all put a lot of value in news anchors. Pretty much anyone can be trained to read a teleprompter in about 30 minutes. I almost went in to that sort of work. If I wasn't in law school, I'd at least have a pretty good resume tape out there -- and I guess I was 'talented' or whatever.

[ChristianConservative]

Anyone that would even consider backing Bates is as crazy as he is. The guy is a nut.

[mranderson]

Television news stations are now reporting that Wes Lane decided to drop his appeal and the jurors are being called back to the courthouse.

This is just bizarre.



I think Wes Lane was:

1. Having knee jerk reaction because it involved Bates

2. Trying to get attention from the press during an election year

3. Trying to make people think Bates is somehow working with Lane's opponent and therefore, costing the county money. (After all, if there's no dirt on his opponent, David Prater, make something up. Try to align a good man with a nutcase like Bates)

4. Trying to show his muscle after he did NOT get the endorsement from the Fraternal Order of Police. Maybe he thought he could sway them to vote for him if he gave Bates a hard time. It was, after all, Bates who videotaped the Donald Pete beating at the hands of OKC Police.

Here's something to think about:
If Wes Lane didn't realize he could handle this is in a better and more economical way, if Wes Lane knew he couldn't get the courts to agree with him to dismiss the jury pool, and through his actions Lane cost the county and thus taxpayers $13,000 through his actions yesterday, then DOES WES LANE HAVE THE LEGAL SMARTS and THE PUBLIC SERVANT'S COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY TO REMAIN AS OUR D.A.?

I'm thinking not.

1. The only jerk is Bates. He will do anything to Lane because Lane is one of hundreds of people that are tired of Bates and his tapes.

2. Lane was doing what he had to do. It is called protecting the rights of the citizens he serves.

3. Bates knows he has been caught and is crying foul. He expects people to look the other way. That is what egotistical creeps do (expect people to look the other way).

4. Donald Peete was not "beaten." The police used what is called less than lethal force on a subject that was resisting arrest. They were doing their job within accepted protocol. What do you expect them to do? Say "ok, Mr. Peete, you win. We won't arrest you because you don't want to go to jail." That is not how it works. You resist arrest, you get less than lethal force on you.

I think Lane did the right thing by asking what he did of the jurors. If he loses the appeal (or any other action) rest assured, a lot of cases will get spanked in appeal.

[The Old Downtown Guy]

Anyone that would even consider backing Bates is as crazy as he is. The guy is a nut.

But you have to admit that the guy really has balls don't you CC? I mean driving a truck around downtown and handing out flyers in opposition to his arch-enemy is really ballsey.

Yeah, the guy's got really big balls. I guess he could be crazy and still have big balls too, so I'm not saying that I don't agree with your estimation of his intellegence, but I haven't personally seen or read anything that would give me any way to estimate his I.Q. or his sanity, but this thing with the truck and the flyers just tells me his balls are gigantic.

[okcnative]

I'm not saying what Bates did wasn't wrong. And yes, he loves to get media attention and he loves being a thorn in the side of Wes Lane.

I don't support Bates. I support our constitutional rights.

As for resisting arrest and the Donald Peete incident that Bates taped, I believe that our police officers must protect themselves. My point was that Bates became a problem for the police and Wes Lane when he taped the incident and then released the unedited tape to the television stations.

P.S. for you, Midtowner: I don't put my value in teleprompter-reading news anchors. However, I have a high regard for a fair, good and accurate reporter, which Tamara Pratt was. Those were the qualities on which she built her career. Those were also the qualities that made her a trusted news anchor. I think we are fortunate to have a few members of the media who are fair, accurate and good --- in electronic and print media in our city. I had always counted Tamara as one of those.

[ultimatesooner]

I think Wes Lane just wants to see his own name in the paper every day

[mranderson]

But you have to admit that the guy really has balls don't you CC? I mean driving a truck around downtown and handing out flyers in opposition to his arch-enemy is really ballsey.

Yeah, the guy's got really big balls. I guess he could be crazy and still have big balls too, so I'm not saying that I don't agree with your estimation of his intellegence, but I haven't personally seen or read anything that would give me any way to estimate his I.Q. or his sanity, but this thing with the truck and the flyers just tells me his balls are gigantic.

No. His ego is. Many of us on OKC Talk have known Bates for years, and believe me... His ego is larger than the Universe. If he does not get his own way, he goes "wah-wah-wah!" If you disagree with him, he bans you for life.

He is like the kid from the Maypo commercials of the 50's. "I WANT MY MAYPO!!!" Except he says "I WANT MY OWN WAY!!!!!" Then throws a tantrum. That is what this crap with Lane is. A childish tantrum because the mean man was not nice to little Brian, and did not give him his own way.

[The Old Downtown Guy]

No. His ego is. . . .

Same thing.

Wow, you and I agree for the third time in as many months mranderson. Will wonders never cease.

Wasn't Maypo some kind of gooey cereal, like oatmeal mixed with maple syrup and latex paint?

[metro]

okcnative, I'm curious, what is your connection to this topic?

[okcnative]

My "connection" to this topic isn't a connection at all. I'm interested in watching elected officials --- regardless of their political affiliation. When I see something like this event that unfolded down at the courthouse, I want to bring it to the attention of others and then see what other think through the discussion. When I see something impressive an elected official does, that, too deserves attention and discussion.

Other than than, there's no connection to this topic through my work or my personal life. Do I need to have a "connection" to post? If not, why the question? And do you have a connection to this topic?

[writerranger]

This will all be very interesting. I agree that Bates can be over-the-top, but actually I agree that Lane set him up. Forget the merits of the Peete case - Lane has been after Bates ever since he taped the incident and released it to the media. Lane, you might remember, offered a tampered version. (That's Wes Lane!)

I also think Lane not getting the FOP endorsement was a blow and he's not a happy camper. You know, the fact that the police department, in large numbers, are supporting David Prater says a lot.

Bates rattled Lane, Lane got face time in the media....it's all about politics from now until election day.

From Lane's handling of the Hamilton case, his assistant's case, his wife's case, filmgate, his use of a "pet judge" (Susan Caswell) -- I am ready for Wes Lane to go.

----------------

[mranderson]

Has anyone seen the polls to see who is ahead? If so, please post them.

[Midtowner]

I really doubt the candidates spend their money on polls.

[writerranger]

I just visited David Prater's website and there is an audio response to Wes Lane over the Bates/Jury issue. He says they are both acting like children and says Oklahoma County deserves better. Prater signs are everywhere - have you noticed? Many in the front lawns of Oklahoma City police officers and other members of law enforcement. The David Prater website is here:
http://www.davidpraterforda.com

-------------------------------

[jbrown84]

P.S. for you, Midtowner: I don't put my value in teleprompter-reading news anchors. However, I have a high regard for a fair, good and accurate reporter, which Tamara Pratt was. Those were the qualities on which she built her career. Those were also the qualities that made her a trusted news anchor. I think we are fortunate to have a few members of the media who are fair, accurate and good --- in electronic and print media in our city. I had always counted Tamara as one of those.

Actually it's not that easy to read a telepromter well. And as you say, Tamara was a reporter first and being a good reporter actually requires skills in information gathering, writing, shooting, editing, live ad-lib reporting, etc etc etc. I have a broadcasting degree but I am not an on-air personality for a reason. I have a lot of respect for her.

Also, okcnative, regarding Metro's question about your "connection". I'm guessing he asked because your initial post on the incident seemed to have "inside" information, almost as if you witnessed it all and ran to your computer to tell us.

[jbrown84]

Television news stations are now reporting that Wes Lane decided to drop his appeal and the jurors are being called back to the courthouse.

This is just bizarre.

I think Wes Lane was:

1. Having knee jerk reaction because it involved Bates

2. Trying to get attention from the press during an election year

3. Trying to make people think Bates is somehow working with Lane's opponent and therefore, costing the county money. (After all, if there's no dirt on his opponent, David Prater, make something up. Try to align a good man with a nutcase like Bates)

4. Trying to show his muscle after he did NOT get the endorsement from the Fraternal Order of Police. Maybe he thought he could sway them to vote for him if he gave Bates a hard time. It was, after all, Bates who videotaped the Donald Pete beating at the hands of OKC Police.

Here's something to think about:
If Wes Lane didn't realize he could handle this is in a better and more economical way, if Wes Lane knew he couldn't get the courts to agree with him to dismiss the jury pool, and through his actions Lane cost the county and thus taxpayers $13,000 through his actions yesterday, then DOES WES LANE HAVE THE LEGAL SMARTS and THE PUBLIC SERVANT'S COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY TO REMAIN AS OUR D.A.?

I'm thinking not.

If Lane thinks this media attention will help him, he's wrong. If it weren't for this incident, I probably would have voted to reelect him mainly because I hadn't heard about any of this. But now I will vote for Prater.