Associate District Judge Brian Lovell was suspended for alleged sexual misconduct and corruption during courthouse hours, according to a petition reportedly filed June 27 at the court of Oklahoma Chief Justice John Kane IV.
The 58-year-old Garfield County Judge was issued an immediate temporary suspension, according to the petition. His alleged actions included “exchanging sexually graphic messages and images with court staff during courthouse hours and engaging in sexual intercourse with court staff inside the courthouse during courthouse hours.”
The accusations against Garfield County Assoc. District Judge Brian Lovell now include sex with bailiffs during courthouse hours. He’s already facing criminal charges for allegedly shooting at his brother-in-laws home and a road-rage shooting in Texas. https://t.co/LMhSIIj5T5 pic.twitter.com/5IrMCimk6e
— Tara Blume (@tcblume) June 28, 2024
Lovell’s alleged sexual misconduct began in 2011 when he failed to disclose his relationship with bailiff Natalie Marshall to authorities when hired, the document reads. These alleged acts were discovered when the bailiff revealed then and resigned. Five District Judges voted to let Lovell retain his position despite this misconduct.
In 2023 Lovell and court bailiff Cynthia Tubbs, who was hired in 2011 to replace Marshall, engaged in sexual activity “during courthouse hours,” and continued to exchange sexually explicit images and text messages, the petition alleges. These alleged messages include one instance where Lovell messaged Tubbs before he was due to take a plea from a defendant on trial.
Lovell denied the two participated in sexual activity, writing in his response that they only engaged in “flirtatious texting,” according to the petition. Tubbs testified that they did commit the alleged acts. Text messages allegedly sent between the two “reference their physical encounters.”
Lovell is further accused of “gross partiality” and corruption on account of his alleged illicit collaboration with an attorney on multiple cases, the petition reads. He allegedly also campaigned to persuade an attorney to give false testimony.
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Lovell repeatedly avoided disciplinary action by failing to appear before the Council on Judicial Complaints and refusing to participate in its proceedings, the petition alleges.
Judge Lovell was previously indicted for drive-by shootings in Oklahoma and Texas, FOX News reported.
Lovell was indicted in Texas September for allegedly shooting at six cars outside Austin Mexican restaurant Juan in a Million, the outlet reported.
In February 2023 Lovell allegedly fired shots into his brother-in-law’s residence in Oklahoma, according to the outlet.
Lovell’s attorney Stephen Jones claimed the petition was an attempt “to humiliate and embarrass Judge Lovell and his family,” according to ABC News.
Jones also reportedly denied his client was responsible for “gross neglect of duty, corruption in office, commission in office of any offense involving moral turpitude, gross partiality in office, oppression in office, and any other grounds.”
Lovell has until July 8 to appeal his suspension, and his hearing for removal is scheduled for July 30, according to FOX News.
