Drive-By Shooting Into Brother-In-law’s Home By An Oklahoma Judge: Charges in his own state accuse an Oklahoma judge who is awaiting trial for allegedly shooting at parked cars and rear-ending a woman in Texas of firing into his brother-in-law’s house six months prior to the outburst of rage.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said on Thursday that Brian Lovell, 59, of Garfield County Associate District Judge, was charged on two felony counts related to a drive-by gunshot into a home by a grand jury. Indictment said that convictions would result in a minimum of two years in jail.
Lovell will enter a not guilty plea and “vigorously” defend himself against the most recent charges, according to the judge’s attorney. In a statement, defense lawyer Stephen Jones stated, “Based on our own investigation, there is not enough evidence to persuade a jury, under the standard, that he has committed any offense.”
According to a Garfield County sheriff’s report, Lovell’s brother-in-law Kenneth Markes stated that on February 12, 2023, someone fired at least five times at his inhabited home in Bison, breaking a window, a wall, and an oven, but missing the occupants inside. Five.40-caliber round casings and a bullet were found. According to the sheriff’s investigation, Lovell claimed two days later, on February 14, that a.40-caliber weapon had been taken from his pickup between January 28 and February 11.
Since September, when he was detained in Austin for allegedly crashing into the back of a woman’s car, around ninety minutes after police were called to a report of a guy firing at parked cars while driving down a nearby street, Lovell has not been hearing cases. According to a police affidavit that backed Lovell’s indictment on counts of dangerous conduct with a handgun and reckless driving, Lovell and his SUV fit the description of the shooter. A hearing on the Texas charges is scheduled for June.
Lovell did not acknowledge that their subsequent incidents were purposeful when he reported to Austin police that the woman had cut him off in traffic. According to the affidavit, he also stated that “he did not know why he would have shot his gun and could not recall any part of the shooting incident,” despite having admitted to the police that he had two handguns in his car.
Despite having claimed that the rifle was stolen, Oklahoma police believe Lovell used the same.40 caliber gun in both shootings. It is not explained in either indictment why he might have discharged the gun.