Bob Bates, using his family as props, went on teevee to dispute reports that his training records were falsified that emerged after he shot an unarmed fleeing suspect with his gun, killing him, instead of tasering him, allegedly by mistake.
Bates’ lawyer, who sits beside him during his NBC Today Show appearance, interjected that the only person who claimed his training records were falsified was Cole Crittenden, an ex-cop now in jail for murder. But he’s confused. Crittenden was one of the sheriff’s department employees who signed off on Bates’ training records. The Tulsa World reporter who broke the story says his sources about the records falsification were other sheriff’s deputies who don’t want to be identified for fear of retaliation, according to this Daily Kos commentary.