OK Given to Circulate Petition for Grand Jury
By TIM STANLEY
WAGONER — Two years after the mysterious death of their son, a Broken Arrow family may be closer to getting the answers they seek.
Wagoner County District Judge Bruce Sewell approved a petition Thursday to impanel a grand jury to look into the death of Jarret Clark, who was found dead in 2006 on Fort Gibson Lake after attending a post-graduation party.
“We’ve been on the edge of our seats waiting for this, and now our clock starts ticking,” said Eric Slater, Clark’s stepfather.
By state law, the family now has 45 days to gather roughly 3,000 signatures of registered voters in Wagoner County.
The family and supporters will kick off their push to get the signatures with tents at several locations on Saturday.
The Wagoner County Election Board must certify the signatures, after which the judge would have 30 days to convene a grand jury, officials said.
The grand jury would look into the case and potentially bring indictments.
Tulsa attorney Mark L. Collier filed the petition Tuesday on behalf of the family.
“These grand juries are like climbing a mountain, and I keep telling everyone we’re just at the base camp now,” Collier said.
“We’ve got a long way to go. But it is a step in the right direction for getting some justice and closure for the family.”
Clark, then 18, was attending a party on Fort Gibson Lake when he disappeared May 14, 2006. He was found dead four days later in the lake.
An autopsy could not determine whether he accidentally drowned or was killed.
Family members continue to claim foul play and say Clark was involved in an altercation with youths at the lake.
Investigators brought the case before a multicounty grand jury previously, but no indictments resulted.
Collier said: “The primary difference is that a multicounty grand jury is under the control of the Attorney General’s Office. They determine the witnesses, how to present the case; they control it.”
The Wagoner County District Attorney’s Office investigated Clark’s death but decid- ed that evidence was insufficient to file charges.
The petition also calls for the grand jury to probe the handling of the case by the District Attorney’s Office.
The petition also seeks to disqualify the office from acting as legal adviser to the grand jury.
Slater said: “A grand jury is just another investigative tool, but if they can find sufficient evidence, they can bring some indictments. We just want to get to the truth.”
For a list of petition locations, go online to cf,fgc www.jarret- austinclark.comcf,ceno . Only registered Wagoner County voters are eligible to sign.
Tim Stanley 581-8385
tim.stanley@tulsaworld.com
Originally published by TIM STANLEY World Staff Writer.
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