Bates awaits sentencing in Tulsa jail’s medical unit

TULSA — Robert Bates is being housed within the Tulsa jail’s medical unit, meaning the former Tulsa County reserve deputy and now convicted felon is alone in an individual cell about 23 hours a day.

Sheriff’s office spokesman Justin Green said housing current or past law enforcement officers in the medical unit is a standard safety and security precaution. The measure is to ensure they aren’t in the general population to potentially interact with someone they may have come into contact with on the job.

Bates, 74, will be allowed one hour of recreation, as well as showers and commissary, Green said.

The insurance executive will remain locked up at the jail without bail as he awaits formal sentencing May 31. Jurors recommended Bates receive the maximum punishment of four years in prison.

Bates’ safety was thrust into the spotlight Wednesday when the verdict came down. Twelve deputies were stationed in the courtroom as the judge read aloud the jury’s finding of guilty of second-degree manslaughter in the shooting of Eric Harris on April 2, 2015.

Bates was handcuffed and ushered out by multiple deputies and taken down five flights of stairs, as opposed to using the private elevator for inmate transports as is typical. The route to that elevator takes inmates through an area where members of the media are allowed to stand to shoot photographs or video.

Casey Roebuck, public information director, told reporters afterward that the situation was a security risk. The sheriff’s office wanted to “lessen his exposure” to someone who might be armed or held intentions to harm him, Roebuck said.

“We had long discussions about this and we wanted to make sure that he wasn’t getting special treatment, but we also wanted to make sure that his life wasn’t in danger,” Roebuck said. “This is a very high-profile case.”