Sheriff’s Right-Hand Man Quits In Wake Of Deputy’s Killing Of Unarmed Man

Tulsa County Undersheriff Tim Albin briefs reporters on the arrest of former Deputy Gerald Nuckolls, 26, at the agency's headquarters in Tulsa, Okla. on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014. Nuckolls has been accused of sex cri... Tulsa County Undersheriff Tim Albin briefs reporters on the arrest of former Deputy Gerald Nuckolls, 26, at the agency's headquarters in Tulsa, Okla. on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014. Nuckolls has been accused of sex crimes against multiple women. The arrest comes after the Oklahoma Highway Patrol arrested state trooper Eric Roberts, 42, on Monday on complaints of kidnapping, rape and other crimes after three women alleged the officer sexually assaulted them while he was on duty. (AP Photo/Tulsa World, Matt Barnard) ONLINE OUT; KOTV OUT; KJRH OUT; KTUL OUT; KOKI OUT; KQCW OUT; KDOR OUT; TULSA OUT; TULSA ONLINE OUT MORE LESS
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The No. 2 official in the Tulsa, Oklahoma sheriff’s office resigned on Monday after documents were released accusing him of intimidating employees to promote a white reserve deputy who later killed an unarmed black man, according to the Tulsa World newspaper.

Undersheriff Tim Albin’s resignation, which will be effective at the end of the week, was announced by Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz during a board of commissioners meeting, the newspaper reported.

“Given the gravity of the current situation … he agreed that maybe it’s time for a change,” Glanz said. “I will continue to examine my organization, and there will be more changes in the coming days as I work to restore the integrity to the Sheriff’s Office which the public has come to expect.”

The reserve deputy in question, Robert Bates, fatally shot the unarmed black man, Eric Harris, on April 2 when, according to the deputy, he mistook his gun for his Taser. Bates was charged with second-degree manslaughter and pleaded not guilty.

The report contained the findings of a “special investigation” in 2009 that was ordered over allegations that Bates was improperly trained and that his certifications were falsified, the Tulsa World reported.

Bates was given special treatment, according to the report, and high-ranking officials violated policy to ensure that Bates advanced within the deputy reserve program.

Attorneys for Bates have disputed the allegations about his training and role in the agency.

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