Wagoner County DA asks judge to block grand jury petition

Wagoner County District Attorney Jack Thorp is asking a judge to stop a petition that would create a grand jury investigation into him and Sheriff Chris Elliott.

The petition was filed by a group called Wagoner County Citizens Against Corruption LLC, and it lists four cases they want investigated between 2019 and 2024, including two people who died in custody, against whom they believe charges should've been filed.

One of the deaths led to a lawsuit and a $13 million settlement with Wagoner County.

The people behind the petition believe the sheriff's and district attorney's actions could warrant removing them from office.

Sheriff Elliott says he denies all the allegations in the petition and will wait to comment until it's over, but respects the public's right to ask for transparency.

District Attorney Jack Thorp says he also denies the allegations and says he can show proof of illegal and evil motives behind the petition.

He says two of the cases were investigated by OSBI, and charges and lawsuits were declined in those cases years ago.

Thorp's request asks the judge to dismiss the petition and impose penalties against the group that created it.