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Investigator, OSBI disagree on arrest tactics

Kyle Eastridge has criticized Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation for not pressuring prosecutors to file charges, but agency officials say they can't risk turning allies into enemies.

BY KEN RAYMOND | Modified: July 26, 2010 at 8:29 am | Published: July 25, 2010 Comment on this article

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Letter from A. DeWade Langley
A. DeWade Langley, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation director, agreed to be interviewed by The Oklahoman last week about allegations made by one of his former employees. Reporters provided Langley with a list of topics they wanted to discuss. He canceled the interview and sent this letter. A day later, OSBI spokeswoman Jessica Brown provided comment on many of the topics Langley said he was legally barred from discussing.

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Sometimes, he said, investigators need to make arrests even if prosecutors are reluctant to file charges.

"Let the DA decide to release a murder suspect that you have evidence on," he said. "That's not going to happen, I guarantee you."

Jessica Brown, OSBI spokeswoman, said Eastridge doesn't understand that the agency cannot afford to anger prosecutors.

"It reflects his lack of understanding of the OSBI and the difference between original jurisdiction and limited jurisdiction," she said. "The district attorneys determine if we get a case in their jurisdiction. We cannot be helpful if the DA doesn't want us there.

"We have to have a decent relationship. We can't ride roughshod over the system."

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