Resident alleges deputy overheard executive session, asks for outside investigation; chair says county attorney will follow up

At the May 7 regular meeting resident Bennett O'Donnell used open forum to accuse a county deputy of attempting to eavesdrop on an executive session and of later intimidating him in a hallway.

O'Donnell said he had previously sought an update from the county attorney and had not received a response, and described what he said was the deputy’s attempt to listen at the closed-session door. He told the board that “just because he is a law officer does not mean he is above the law, and that he did not consent to him listening in,” and said the deputy’s supervisor appeared to be present while the deputy attempted to hear the session. O'Donnell also said the deputy turned on his body camera and made snide remarks while in the hallway, which O'Donnell described as intimidation.

Chairman Charles Coffey acknowledged the comment and said the county attorney had mentioned he would send a letter; Coffey told O'Donnell the board would follow up after the meeting. The minutes record no immediate disciplinary action taken during the open meeting; O'Donnell asked for outside law-enforcement investigation if warranted.

The record shows the Commission promised to get back to O'Donnell and that an attorney correspondence was forthcoming. The minutes do not record a subsequent public response from the sheriff or a formal internal-investigation finding in the May entries.