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Judi Lynn

(160,532 posts) Tue Apr 21, 2015, 05:55 PM Apr 2015

Volunteer deputy heading to Bahamas amid manslaughter charge

Source: Associated Press

Volunteer deputy heading to Bahamas amid manslaughter charge
By JUSTIN JUOZAPAVICIUS, Associated Press | April 21, 2015 | Updated: April 21, 2015 4:50pm

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — A volunteer sheriff's deputy plans to vacation in the Bahamas while facing a second-degree manslaughter charge in Oklahoma, his attorneys told a judge Tuesday, drawing immediate criticism from the family of the man he killed.

Robert Bates pleaded not guilty during the hearing in Tulsa district court. The 73-year-old former insurance executive has said he confused his handgun for a stun gun when he shot Eric Harris after the suspect ran during a sting investigation involving gun sales.

Bates' lawyers told the judge that Bates, a reserve deputy with the Tulsa County sheriff's office, and his family planned to take their previously planned vacation ahead of his next court date in July.

"It's really not an issue," Corbin Brewster, one of Bates' attorneys, said in an interview after the hearing.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Reserve-deputy-who-shot-killed-suspect-is-due-in-6212957.php

19 replies

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Highlight:

Volunteer deputy heading to Bahamas amid manslaughter charge (Original Post) Judi Lynn Apr 2015 OP

I didn't know one could leave the country if they're on bail.... LeftInTX Apr 2015 #1

Does seem surprising for such a serious offence muriel_volestrangler Apr 2015 #2

no, knowing the TCSO V0ltairesGh0st Apr 2015 #5

I was thinking of his former company, as detailed in #7 below (nt) muriel_volestrangler Apr 2015 #9

It seems that he may have access to $6 million USD or thereabouts... xocet Apr 2015 #7

What is the definition of flight risk? xocet Apr 2015 #3

Affluenza Defense for a senior citizen? Omaha Steve Apr 2015 #4

If found guilty he could spend the rest of his life in prison. A Simple Game Apr 2015 #6

Yeah what's up with that? tularetom Apr 2015 #8

No, you would not be in jail. former9thward Apr 2015 #14

On that you're probably correct (depending on the judge) rpannier Apr 2015 #18

NPR just did a story on volunteer cops. gvstn Apr 2015 #19

he doesn't care gwheezie Apr 2015 #10

I'd say the fix is in madokie Apr 2015 #11

yup gwheezie Apr 2015 #12

In 1977, he started his own insurance company. By the time he sold it in 1999... jtuck004 Apr 2015 #13

This is good info OldRedneck Apr 2015 #16

Do you suppose . . . OldRedneck Apr 2015 #15

Killing Blacks is hard work... czarjak Apr 2015 #17

LeftInTX

(25,336 posts)

1. I didn't know one could leave the country if they're on bail....

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 06:06 PM

Apr 2015

Learn something new every day........

muriel_volestrangler

(101,316 posts)

2. Does seem surprising for such a serious offence

Reply to LeftInTX (Reply #1)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 06:16 PM

Apr 2015

He's probably wealthy enough to flee somewhere else if he feels like it.

V0ltairesGh0st

(306 posts)

5. no, knowing the TCSO

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Reply #2)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 06:32 PM

Apr 2015

from living here.. he isn't wealthy ...but he has the advantage of being supported by wealthy elements in the TCSO, and Tulsa County right wing organizations... with well connected ties to the TCDAO and their biased right wing connections.

muriel_volestrangler

(101,316 posts)

9. I was thinking of his former company, as detailed in #7 below (nt)

Reply to V0ltairesGh0st (Reply #5)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 06:37 PM

Apr 2015

xocet

(3,871 posts)

7. It seems that he may have access to $6 million USD or thereabouts...

Reply to muriel_volestrangler (Reply #2)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 06:34 PM

Apr 2015

Volunteer Tulsa deputy Robert Bates sold company, went back to police work
Friday, April 17, 2015
Associated Press

After he sold his insurance company for around $6 million, Robert Bates sought to return to a profession he tried for a year in his early 20s: law enforcement.

...

Associated Press Writer Allen Reed contributed to this report from Little Rock, Arkansas.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/volunteer-tulsa-deputy-robert-bates-sold-company-went-back-to/article_7f23ccc3-4bcb-52a4-826d-c06103a42786.html

xocet

(3,871 posts)

3. What is the definition of flight risk?

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 06:27 PM

Apr 2015

Wealthy reserve deputy who admits he shot an unarmed man permitted to go on Bahamas vacation
Ryan Gorman
Apr. 21, 2015, 1:50 PM

...

Clark Brewster, Bates attorney, told Business Insider that the Bahamas trip was planned months ago and that his client can not simply be expected to not take his family on vacation because this incident occurred in the interim.

"He’s had a trip planned for three months, tickets are bought ... suddenly he has to cancel his trip with his five grandchildren?" Brewster asked. "Can he leave his house, can he go out to eat, can he drive his car — or is that too grandiose?"

...

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/reserve-deputy-robert-bates-allowed-to-go-to-the-bahamas-2015-4#ixzz3Xz7Xxwb8

Omaha Steve

(99,632 posts)

4. Affluenza Defense for a senior citizen?

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 06:27 PM

Apr 2015

Thanks Judi for posting.

OS

A Simple Game

(9,214 posts)

6. If found guilty he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 06:33 PM

Apr 2015

No chance of a flight risk here.

tularetom

(23,664 posts)

8. Yeah what's up with that?

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 06:36 PM

Apr 2015

If it was me that did this I'd be sitting my ass in jail.

Maybe they're hoping he'll flee the country and save them the embarrassment of having to explain why they let a senile old fart play cop just because he gave them a bunch of money.

What I'd like to find out is how widespread nationally this practice of wannabe cops actually is. Because I doubt that this is the first time this has happened and it won't be the last time.

former9thward

(32,006 posts)

14. No, you would not be in jail.

Reply to tularetom (Reply #8)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 08:38 PM

Apr 2015

It is a manslaughter charge which is bailable for anyone without a criminal record. And not very high either.

rpannier

(24,329 posts)

18. On that you're probably correct (depending on the judge)

Reply to former9thward (Reply #14)

Thu Apr 23, 2015, 08:06 PM

Apr 2015

But, I doubt he'd be allowed to go to the Bahamas
Given that he could spend the rest of his life in jail, the judge under normal circumstances would have told him to forgo the vacation

gvstn

(2,805 posts)

19. NPR just did a story on volunteer cops.

Reply to tularetom (Reply #8)

Thu Apr 23, 2015, 08:16 PM

Apr 2015

It is apparently very widespread as a way to save money. http://www.npr.org/2015/04/21/401296066/too-often-some-say-volunteer-officers-just-want-to-play-cop

gwheezie

(3,580 posts)

10. he doesn't care

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 06:41 PM

Apr 2015

He is confident you can shoot a black man and get away with it. Any defense attorney would advice him to not go in TV and blab and not go to the Bahamas but he doesn't care. He thinks he's above this inconvenience.

madokie

(51,076 posts)

11. I'd say the fix is in

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 07:43 PM

Apr 2015

gwheezie

(3,580 posts)

12. yup

Reply to madokie (Reply #11)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 08:13 PM

Apr 2015

This man knows he's going to get away with it. He's not even putting up a front.

jtuck004

(15,882 posts)

13. In 1977, he started his own insurance company. By the time he sold it in 1999...

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 08:18 PM

Apr 2015

...to the North American Insurance Agency Inc., it was worth nearly $6 million, according to court records. That's when Bates began moving back into the world of law enforcement.

--From the link above.

The $6 million dollar man. Hey, if you have enough money it doesn't matter that you were born too late for Greenwood. You can just buy your own updated version.

And no one will see it for the common street violence it is.

OldRedneck

(1,397 posts)

16. This is good info

Reply to jtuck004 (Reply #13)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 09:15 PM

Apr 2015

Someone needs to tell the attorney representing the family Bates murdered just how much he's worth.

$6 mill will not soothe any of their pain but I hope they get every penny of it.

OldRedneck

(1,397 posts)

15. Do you suppose . . .

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Tue Apr 21, 2015, 09:14 PM

Apr 2015

Do you suppose he's taking his pistol and taser to Bahamas with him? He could help out the cops while he's on vacation.

czarjak

(11,277 posts)

17. Killing Blacks is hard work...

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Wed Apr 22, 2015, 01:25 AM

Apr 2015

Time for a little R&R.

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