Prosecutors argue for upholding contempt conviction of ex-Tulsa officer Jeff Henderson
By ROBERT BOCZKIEWICZ World Correspondent on Jul 18, 2013, at 2:26 AM Updated on 7/18/13 at 8:05 AM
Jeff Henderson: The former Tulsa Police officer, convicted of perjury and for violating the rights of persons he investigated as suspected drug dealers in 2011, is appealing a February contempt conviction, arguing that he did not lie under oath in his testimony identifying an informant, but merely made an "honest mistake."
Local
The Rev. Charles Freyder, a chaplain at the prison, said many inmates wanted to help build the chapel and they could hardly contain their excitement.
The storm included heavy downpours, lightning and some strong winds.
DENVER - Prosecutors are asking an appeals court to uphold the contempt conviction of former Tulsa Police Officer Jeff Henderson, one of several officers swept up in a federal investigation of police corruption.
Henderson's contempt conviction in February in U.S. District Court in Tulsa for false testimony should be affirmed, federal prosecutors told the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week.
The prosecutors' position was in response to Henderson's contention in May that the appeals court should overturn his contempt conviction, for which he was sentenced to a three-month prison term.
U.S. District Judge James Payne convicted Henderson of contempt, concluding that Henderson perjured himself a year ago during a hearing on a convicted drug defendant's petition for release from prison.
Henderson had been brought from prison to testify about the identity of an informant he purportedly used against defendant Tony Becknell Jr. during Becknell's 2005 arrest in a drug case.
Henderson is serving a 42-month term for 2011 convictions stemming from the federal investigation of Tulsa police corruption. Henderson was convicted of perjury and for violating the rights of people he investigated as suspected drug dealers.
In addition to his new appeal of the contempt conviction, Henderson is awaiting a decision from the Denver-based appeals court on his challenge to the 2011 convictions.
In his new appeal, Henderson admits giving wrong testimony about the identity of the informant. But, he contends it was an honest mistake of faulty recollection of what occurred seven years earlier in one of many cases in which he used informants.
The prosecutors' filing this week disputes Henderson's "honest mistake" contention. "Henderson was neither hesitant, nor confused" in his testimony during the hearing a year ago about the identity of the purported informant, the prosecutors state.
The investigation of suspected corruption of Tulsa police officers in drug investigations they conducted led to indictment of Henderson and five other officers and a federal agent. At least 46 people have been freed from prison or had their cases modified because of civil rights violations or potential problems with their cases stemming from the corruption.
Original Print Headline: Feds fight former TPD officer's 'mistake' claim
Local
The Rev. Charles Freyder, a chaplain at the prison, said many inmates wanted to help build the chapel and they could hardly contain their excitement.
The storm included heavy downpours, lightning and some strong winds.
