McCurtain County jail supervisor to plead guilty in inmate attack case

A McCurtain County jail supervisor is preparing to plead guilty to federal charges related to an attack on an inmate in 2021.

Court documents show supervisor Christopher Johnson faces charges for allegedly orchestrating an assault on inmate Roper Harris while he was in custody. Harris claimed jail staff and investigators conspired to allow other inmates to attack him.

The case resurfaced after the release of a secretly recorded audio in 2023 that sparked protests and a statewide investigation. The McCurtain County Gazette published the recording, which captured county leaders making racist remarks.

While the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office later said the recording had been altered and found no criminal wrongdoing, the fallout led to Commissioner Mark Jennings' resignation and Sheriff Kevin Clardy losing his reelection bid.

Johnson's guilty plea marks another chapter in the controversy that has embroiled McCurtain County leadership for more than two years.