Oklahoma County district attorney, defense attorney clashed during Ersland trial

Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater and defense attorney Joe Brett Reynolds were on opposite sides of the highly emotional murder case involving former pharmacist Jerome Ersland.

The accusations about Prater and his 2006 victory party began surfacing the month before Ersland's trial began last May. Prater has called the accusations “an attempt to discredit me and my office right before the trial.”

Ersland was convicted at the trial of first-degree murder for fatally shooting a wounded robber inside a south Oklahoma City drugstore. Reynolds was one of four attorneys who defended Ersland at trial.

In one tense pretrial hearing, Reynolds was overheard saying to Prater, “Let's have it, buddy.”

Prater last year banned Reynolds from coming into the district attorney's office. The ban still stands. Prater said Reynolds mistreated an assistant district attorney.