Oklahoma Representative Mike O'Neal

31 March, 2004

Oklahoma Representative Mike O'Neal, Republican from Enid, Oklahoma presents himself as a "Family Values Sorta' Fellow". Representative O'Neal leaves no doubt about his family background, even going so far as to mention his wife's and children's names on his Official Web Page

During the 2004 session of the Oklahoma Legislature Representative O'Neil introduced the Oklahoma Defense of Marriage Act by way of House Bill 2255. The primary thrust of Representative O'Neil's bill is to ban gay marriage in Oklahoma and to preclude the recognition in Oklahoma of any gay marriage performed in another state. Representative O'Neal also called for enacting an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution to similarly ban gay marriage.

That Representative O'Neal is clearly concerned about both the sanctity of marriage and the morals of Oklahoma is beyond question.

Or is it?

Events occurring just days after Representative O'Neal's introduction of the Oklahoma Defense of Marriage Act give rise to serious questions about both O'Neal's "family values" and his "morals".

It is alleged by Oklahoma City police that on 2/10/04, a 42 year old Tulsa woman attending a conference at an Oklahoma City hotel was sexually assaulted. The alleged attack occurred near midnight in the bar of the hotel. The woman was with a group of people when the man approached. The man introduced himself, passed out his business card and made sexually suggestive comments to members of the group. It is also alleged that the man made an obscene comment to the victim and grabbed her buttocks when she attempted to leave. The man then chased the woman to an elevator and forced open the elevator door. The alleged victim was reportedly rescued by hotel staff. Witnesses told police that the man was very intoxicated.

During the course of the investigation police showed the woman a photo lineup and she indicated her attacker was none other than Oklahoma Representative Mike O'Neal.

Following a two week investigation, Representative Mike O'Neal was charged with felony sexual battery in Oklahoma County District Court on 2/24/04. The official court record in the case is Available Here

Representative O'Neil was released on $5,000 bond following his arrest. A preliminary hearing conference in the case is scheduled for 4/15/04.

If convicted of the charges, Representative O'Neal faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and expulsion from the Oklahoma Legislature.

On 3/30/04, Representative O'Neal along with 83 other members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted to initiate impeachment proceedings against another Oklahoma official charged with felony crimes. The target of that movement is State Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher who is charged with illegally operating a charitable organization and embezzlement.

One can not help but wonder how Representative O'Neal would vote on a call to impeach a legislator charged with felony sex crimes.

Links of interest (note - in 'PDF' format):

House toils amid rumor of member's misconduct

House Member Charged with grabbing a woman

Update #1:

Oklahoma Representative Mike O'Neal has declined to run for re-election in 2004.
A pre-trial hearing in his sexual battery case is set for 9/08/04.

Update #2:

On 9/08/04, Representative O'Neil appeared before Oklahoma County District Judge Twyla Mason Gray for a scheduled pre-trial hearing. At that hearing it was announced that O'Neil had entered into a plea deal with District Attorney Wes Lane. As part of that plea deal the felony sexual battery count would be dropped in exchange for O'Neil's serving 30 days in the county jail and pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of outraging public decency.

In explaining away the plea deal Lane said:

O’Neal was not treated any differently than anyone else facing similar charges. O’Neal’s punishment is consistent with offenders in 30 other sexual battery cases that were reviewed before his plea deal was worked out. In examining the circumstances of this case, Mr. O’Neal’s conduct was more in line of a drunken fool than a sexual predator.

As part of the plea deal, O’Neal will in addition to the 30 days in jail spend five years on probation, attend alcohol abuse counseling, pay $600 to the victims compensation fund and $400 in medical bills of his victim.

At the conclusion of the pre-trial hearing and announcement of the plea deal, Representative O'Neil was immediately handcuffed and led away to jail to begin serving his 30 days. He is due back in court on 10/08/04 when the deal will be finalized and O'Neil formally sentenced.

Owing to the misdemeanor charge to which he pleads guilty, O'Neil will not be required to register as a sex offender as would have been the case had he been convicted of the felony sexual battery charge.

As of 9/09/04, Representative Mike O'Neil remains a member in good standing of the Oklahoma Legislature, although he will miss an important House vote on the impeachment of Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher owing to his brief stay in the county jail. O'Neil's term in the Legislature ends on November 16, unless he pays heed to the advice of his fellow Republicans and resigns earlier.

Representative O'Neils constituents needing to contact their Representative might wish to contact the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office at (405) 713-1930. The Sheriff's Web Site does offer on-line searches for current inmates at Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office .

As of the time of this writing, a search for Michael O'Neil reveals "no records found".
Hopefully this doesn't indicate Representative O'Neil has escaped.