Tulsa County GOP chairman cited this week in assault
BY KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer
Friday, January 25, 2013
1/25/13 at 4:49 PM
J.B. Alexander, chairman of the Tulsa County Republican Party, was issued a criminal citation Wednesday for assault and battery, police said.
At about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a report of a disturbance at 5900 S. 72nd East Ave.
When officers arrived, a man said Alexander had punched him in the forehead after the two had been arguing, the police report states.
Officer Leland Ashley said Alexander was meeting with a man to discuss a city of Tulsa construction project that Alexander was contracted by a city consultant to work on.
“It looked like it started out as a meeting, and neither one expected the other to be there,” Ashley said. “The way the report reads, they had some disputes in the past about the way work had been done.”
Each man accused the other of hitting him, but only the alleged victim’s claim could be verified by a witness, Ashley said.
Alexander said Friday afternoon that he was “responding in self-defense” and was in the process of retaining an attorney.
Alexander has been the Tulsa County Republican Party chairman for the past two years. His term will expire in March, and he said does not plan to seek re-election to the post.
Leland said that when it comes to assault allegations it is up to the officer to determine whether to issue a municipal citation or arrest an individual on a state complaint.
That decision is based in great part on the severity of the injuries, Leland said.
Associated Images:
J.B. Alexander speaks during a debate in Tulsa back in October 2012. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World File
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