OKLAHOMA CITY — A sheriff in Oklahoma has filed a lawsuit in an ongoing dispute over whose responsibility it is to transport inmates to court hearings.
Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III argues the responsibility belongs to the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority, also known as the Jail Trust, and not the sheriff’s office, KOKH reports.
The dispute has been ongoing since April, when Johnson said his department would stop transporting inmates, according to KOKH. The issue escalated in May after dozens of inmates missed court appearances because no one brought them to the courthouse. A judge later ruled the sheriff’s office was responsible for the transports and ordered deputies to resume operations.
Johnson’s lawsuit, filed on June 12, argues the Jail Trust became responsible for inmate transportation when it assumed management of the Oklahoma County Detention Center, according to court documents obtained by KOKH. The sheriff also contends he legally terminated a 2023 memorandum of understanding that required his office to provide transportation services and courthouse detention staffing.
The lawsuit also challenges language in the Jail Trust’s governing document that excludes courthouse holding facilities, inmate detention at the courthouse and inmate transportation from the authority’s stated purposes.
According to the filing, the sheriff’s office and jail management had discussed a transition plan that would have allowed jail staff to assume transportation duties by July 1. However, Johnson alleges the transition effort never materialized.
Johnson is also seeking a court order requiring the Oklahoma County Board of County Commissioners to approve a contract for outside legal counsel related to the dispute.
