Garfield Co. District Judge Indicted On Charges Related To 2023 Drive-By Shooting

A multi-county grand jury indicted a Garfield County Associate District Judge on charges related to a February 2023 drive-by shooting near Bison, according to the Oklahoma Attorney General.

According to the indictment, 59-year-old Brian Lovell fired a gun at the residence of his brother-in-law on February 12, 2023.

The indictment states that two days after the shooting, Lovell reported that a firearm was stolen from his vehicle.

The Oklahoma Attorney General’s office shared on Thursday that Lovell faces one count of use of a vehicle to facilitate the discharge of a firearm and a count of discharging a firearm into a dwelling.

The AG’s office also stated that Lovell faces eight felony counts of deadly conduct for ‘a similar incident in Austin, Texas on September 11, 2023’. 

The full indictment can be read here.

Lovell's Attorney Stephen Jones released this statement Thursday:

"Judge Lovell will stand mute at the initial appearance and the court will enter a not guilty plea for him. He will ultimately plea not guilty to the indictment. We are filing a demand for a preliminary hearing. The Judge has retained counsel. The Attorney General’s office has dealt with us in a cordial and professional manner. As far as the merits of the charge and the defense, we do not at this time have the discovery material which in due course will be made available to us. From our own investigation the evidence is insufficient to convince a jury beyond a reasonable doubt, which is the standard, that he has committed any offense. We intend to defend the case vigorously and during the course of the investigation the Judge and Mrs. Lovell have cooperated fully."