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The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has been asked to decide whether a sheriff will go to trial over the death of an inmate in 2016.
The Garfield County Sheriff has now been charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection with a June 2016 inmate death, according to the Garfield County clerk.
A local judge has recused himself from a case involving the Garfield County sheriff and several other people charged in connection to the 2016 death of an inmate found unresponsive in the northern Oklahoma county’s jail.
The Garfield County Sheriff was in court Tuesday. Sheriff Jerry Niles and five jail employees were indicted in connection with the death of an inmate.
Monday, Garfield County Sheriff Jerry Niles sent in a letter suspending himself and five jail employees who have been indicted after the death of an inmate.
The Garfield County Sheriff's attorney believes the manslaughter charge should be dropped.
Garfield County Sheriff Jerry Niles and five jail employees are being charged with a second degree manslaughter felony.
Six Garfield County officials, including the Garfield County sheriff, have been indicted of second-degree manslaughter, according to unsealed indictments issued by the state's multicounty grand jury.
Authorities are investigating after an inmate was found dead inside his cell at the Garfield County Jail on Wednesday.
