Monday, 03 August 2009
OKLAHOMA CAPITOL –Justice Antonin Scalia will present the Sandra Day O’Connor Award for Professional Service to Catina R. Drywater, Esquire, of Tulsa on Oct. 17, 2009, during the Celebration of Excellence at the U.S. Supreme Court.

The American Inns of Court established the Sandra Day O’Connor Award for Professional Service honoring an American Inn member in practice 10 or fewer years for excellence in public interest or pro bono activities.  Drywater’s peers nominated her for her efforts to expand access to justice.

“I am convinced that her efforts to simplify the law helped to empower many low income citizens with the information they needed to make intelligent decisions and protect their rights within our justice system,” wrote Gary W. Dart, Oklahoma Child Support Services Director, in Drywater’s nomination.

Drywater graduated in 1998 from the University of Tulsa College of Law and received Oklahoma’s first fellowship from the National Association for Public Interest Law (NAPIL) in 1999.
Employed by OCSS, Drywater leads a Pro Se work project, developing procedures and instructions that help people file their own requests to modify child support orders.

“I am very honored to win this award and grateful for the support from the people who nominated me,” stated Drywater.

OCSS is a division of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. OCSS enhances the well-being of children through its mission to establish, monitor and enforce a reliable source of support for the families it serves.

The division is responsible for more than 189,000 active child support cases.

Last Updated ( Monday, 03 August 2009 )

Monday, 03 August 2009
OKLAHOMA CITY-Attorney General Drew Edmondson today has asked the Pittsburg County District Court to empanel a grand jury to hear new evidence in an alleged child rape and sexual abuse case.

Edmondson’s application lists the focus of the grand jury as David Harold Eugene Earls.  According to the request, the proposed scope of the county grand jury will include the examination of "alleged lewd and lascivious acts against a child under fourteen."

"Earls is set to leave prison on his previous conviction for rape and forcible sodomy in just a few weeks," Edmondson said. "After reviewing Earls’ case file, I asked our investigators to look further into Earls’ history and to determine if other unprosecuted crimes existed."

The attorney general said investigators found a history of alleged sexual misconduct, as well as possible crimes that had not yet been prosecuted.

"Our investigators interviewed potential victims and witnesses in three different states," Edmondson said. "We gathered information of alleged sexual abuse going back about 30 years.

We also learned of more recent allegations that have not been charged."

At the same time, Edmondson said, attorneys were reviewing state statutes and state and federal case law, especially as they relate to statute of limitations, double jeopardy and double punishment.

"We have strong evidence to present to the grand jury and we stand on solid legal ground to pursue our allegations on these new crimes," Edmondson said. "Knowledge of Earls’ alleged history of abuse will bolster our argument that he is a continuing threat."

Further details of the attorney general’s investigation were filed today under seal.

earls grand jury.pdf (http://www.oag.state.ok.us/oagweb.nsf/0/4b23ccc9aaf29e988625760400708552/$FILE/earls%20grand%20jury.pdf)

Last Updated ( Monday, 03 August 2009 )