Del City Leaders Request Grand Jury Investigation Of County Commissioner

A group of Del City leaders want a grand jury impaneled to investigate Oklahoma County Commissioner Myles Davidson.

The leaders filed paperwork with Oklahoma County Court Clerk Rick Warren on Tuesday to start the process.

While getting an investigation opened into Davidson is the stated goal of the petition, the group acknowledges the real target is stopping a new Oklahoma County Jail from being built near Del City.

Del City Mayor Floyd Eason, State Representative Any Fugate (D-Del City) and Mid-Del School Board Member Gina Standridge, filed the petition in their individual capacities. They are asking an Oklahoma County judge to allow them to circulate a petition for a grand jury investigation.

“I believe that he has almost deemed himself above the law and going against the peoples will,” Standridge said.

Amid the full-court press to stop the jail site from moving forward, opponents are drawing attention to a $2,900 campaign donation made by Garrett William, a co-owner of the property at 1901 East Grand Blvd, to Davidson in 2022.

Those opposed to the jail site have also highlighted Davidson’s campaign ethics reports that appear to show donations after the 2022 election in excess of the $2,900 allowed by state law. Davidson said a company hired to file the reports is working through amending them.

The petition filed Tuesday accuses Davidson of corruption in office and willful maladministration for role in purchasing land for a new Oklahoma County Jail.

“We feel like he has shown favoritism to some of his friends,” Eason told reporters. “We feel like we’ve not been given a fair treatment.”

“The county has pulled the trigger to purchase 71 acres. They absolutely don’t need anything close to that,” Fugate added.

Commissioner Davidson says none of the three petitioners have reached out to him directly.

Davidson said in a statement:

“The facts are clear: my vote on the relocation of the jail is based on the critical need for modern, humane detention facilities that can better serve our community. Our current facilities pose significant risks and challenges. I’ve been a leader on this issue and will continue to lead regardless of any criticism or grandstanding."

The petitioners estimate they’ll need about 5,000 signatures.

“We think we could probably do that in a week,” Eason said. 

“I kind of think we’ll get 10,000,” Standridge said.

The group said it will be up to a judge to decide if their petition has merit. If it gets the greenlight, they’ll then begin collecting signatures.

If the group is able to collect the needed signatures it would be up to a closed-door grand jury to determine if commissioner Davidson should be removed from office.