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    EARLS
August 31, 2009

Grand jury meeting today; Earls child abuse allegations center stage

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By Kandra Wells

The operator of a Web site critical of the district attorney’s office is among those who is believed subpoenaed to testify before the Pittsburg County Grand Jury this week.

Harold King, who says he blogs as “Hal” on the McAlester Watercooler Web site at mccooler.net, said in an e-mail late Friday that he will be testifying before the grand jury on Tuesday.

The county grand jury was impaneled at the request of Attorney General Drew Edmondson to look into “alleged lewd and lascivious acts against a child under 14 which were carried out by David Harold Eugene Earls which were not the subject of any prior adjudicated charge and plea agreement.”

Earls, 65, was sentenced to a year in the county jail in a plea bargain agreement for the rape of a 4-year-old McAlester girl he baby-sat.

The child’s mother is among the witnesses expected to testify next week.

The grand jury begins its investigation this week and is expected to meet at least Monday through Wednesday. In addition to the Earls case, the jury could look into complaints filed by the general public. McCormick said 15 complaints delivered to the local court clerk’s office would be examined for possible presentation to the jury.

During selection for the grand jury, McCormick told potential jurors they might look into evidence of other crimes or misconduct by public officials. In July, Edmondson said allegations of “abuse of process” by District 18 District Attorney Jim Bob Miller had been bought in connection with King.

Miller has been upset with the Watercooler site for posting comments critical of him. Last August, McAlester police delivered King a subpoena for the identities and Social Security numbers of 35 people who had commented on the site.

A state multicounty grand jury in May heard testimony from both King and Miller.

Grand jury investigations and deliberations are conducted in secret. The subpoenas and other grand jury documents have been sealed.

The Pittsburg County Grand Jury was seated last week specifically to look into the Earls case. Earls is scheduled for release from the Pittsburg County Jail on Sept. 24.

Since his arrest, at least three women in three different states have come forward with allegations that they were attacked and molested or raped by Earls when they were children. Two said Friday they had not yet received subpoenas but plan to testify before the investigative panel next week.

“I keep telling myself I’m ready for this, but I’m still kind of in shock, I guess, over the whole thing being back in my face,” said Kristina Smith, 27. She said Earls, her great uncle, attacked her several times when she was a child in an ongoing pattern of sexual abuse.

Her mother’s cousin and Earls’ daughter, Denise Earls, 43, said Friday she also plans to testify next week based on her conversations with the Attorney General’s office.

“I’m sure once it begins they’ll call and keep us informed as to what the next step is,” Denise Earls said.

During the grand jury’s selection Monday, Multicounty Grand Jury Unit Director Joel-lyn McCormick told potential jurors they could expect to hear testimony from children, law enforcement and adults.

Contact Kandra Wells at kwells@mcalesternews.com.

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