Tulsa sheriff facing charges resigns effective next month

TULSA, Okla. — An Oklahoma sheriff indicted after an investigation into his office, which was sparked by a volunteer deputy’s killing of an unarmed man, has submitted his letter of resignation.

Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz notified Gov. Mary Fallin in the letter that he’ll retire effective Nov. 1.

On Friday, Fallin scheduled a special primary election for sheriff for March 1, with a special general election on April 5 if necessary. The filing period for sheriff candidates will be Dec. 7-9.

Glanz’s letter, dated Thursday, was written on the same day that Glanz sent a memo to Undersheriff Rick Weigel stating that the sheriff was turning over his duties to Weigel at the request of the grand jury.

“You will perform my duties as sheriff until a new sheriff takes office,” the memo states.

Glanz was indicted by a grand jury Wednesday on two misdemeanor counts. One accuses Glanz of refusing to perform his official duties by not quickly turning over information about volunteer deputy Robert Bates during an internal investigation.

Bates, Glanz’s longtime friend and a former insurance executive, has said he mistook his handgun for a stun gun in April before fatally shooting Eric Harris, who was restrained. Bates, who is no longer a volunteer deputy with the department, has pleaded innocent to a second-degree manslaughter charge in the shooting.

The grand jury also accused Glanz of willful violation of the law in an unrelated incident involving a stipend he received for a vehicle allowance.

Glanz’s attorney, Scott Wood, said Glanz plans to plead innocent to the charges.