On Saturday, April 27, 2023, the abc7News reported that the court has granted the appeal made by the defense attorneys representing Nathan Ronan and Robert Hinkle. These two former Lawton Police Officers are facing charges of manslaughter following the shooting incident resulting in the death of Quadry Sanders in December 2021. The appeal specifically pertains to their objection against the denial of their motion to disqualify Judge Christine Galbraith, who is currently assigned as the Special District Judge for the Fifth Judicial District of Comanche County in Oklahoma, from presiding over their case.
In a report by Fox23News, in December, two former police officers from Oklahoma, Robert Hinkle, and Nathan Ronan, have been formally charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection with the tragic shooting of a black man. The charges came after an investigation conducted by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation following the incident involving the shooting death of Quadry Sanders, a 29-year-old individual. Law enforcement officers from the city of Lawton responded to a call reporting a violation of a protective order at Sanders’ residence. The body camera footage released by the Lawton police shows that when the officers arrived at the scene, Sanders emerged from the house. The video indicates that Sanders displayed both of his hands, with a hat visible in his left hand.
Despite Sanders’ apparent attempt to cooperate by showing his hands, Officer Hinkle fired four shots at him. Sanders seemed to have his right hand raised above his head before falling to the ground. He then sat up, placing his hands above his head, at which point Hinkle discharged seven more rounds. Former officer Ronan also fired four shots at Sanders during the incident.
Upon their release on a $25,000 bond subsequent to the incident, Hinkle and Ronan proceeded to face the legal consequences of the charges against them. However, in a recent development concerning the case, the defense attorneys representing the two accused individuals filed a motion seeking to disqualify Judge Christine Galbraith, who was presiding over the proceedings. The motion was based on the argument of an “appearance of impropriety.” The defense claimed that Judge Galbraith had previously served as the Assistant District Attorney and had already viewed the body camera footage relevant to the case.
In response to this motion, the District 5 District Attorney clarified that Judge Galbraith had been assigned to oversee the special case by a panel of four district judges. Furthermore, the District Attorney emphasized that the judge’s prior exposure to the video evidence would not have any influence on her impartial judgment regarding the case.
It is important to note that the defense’s motion to disqualify Judge Galbraith raises concerns about the potential bias that could arise from her previous role as Assistant District Attorney and her prior viewing of the body camera footage. However, the District Attorney maintains that the judge’s appointment by a panel of district judges and the assertion that her previous exposure to the video evidence would not impact her judgment demonstrate the belief in her ability to remain fair and unbiased throughout the legal proceedings.
Nevertheless, the defense’s attempt to disqualify Judge Christine Galbraith was unsuccessful as the motion was rejected. However, the attorney representing the two former officers has decided to appeal the decision. In a positive turn for the defense, their request for a re-hearing was granted and happened on May 18, allowing for further consideration of their argument.
Source: abc7News
