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***[Original Breaking Report]***

I just returned from the Rogers County courthouse, where Judge Smith, citing the potential threat to the community, set Tywone Park’s bond at $750,000 (plus restrictions that could include instructions to avoid certain individuals and the RSU campus).

***[Follow-Up Report Based Upon My Notes]***
Every Effort Has Been Taken Ensure Accuracy. I Reserve the Right to Modify Based Upon Transcripts.

At 11:40 AM today, Tywone Parks’ bond hearing commenced before Judge L. Joe Smith in Division IV of Rogers County Court. Parks had been brought into the courtroom a few minutes before, wearing an orange jumpsuit and shackles. As I waited in the hallway for the hearing to begin, I saw RSU President, Joe Wiley, and RSU Executive Vice President for Administration and Finance, Tom Volturo, and some other RSU folks I recognized, though I do not recall their names. They all attended the bond hearing, after a pre-hearing confab with the Assistant D.A. in the law library.

In the bond hearing for the case of The State of Oklahoma v. Tywone Parks, the state was represented by First Assistant District Attorney Ray Hasselman, and Parks was represented by Jack Zanerhaft.

Judge Smith noted that Parks was arrested on a warrant issued by Judge Steidley, who stipulated that no bond would be set without a hearing.

Testimony was given by Claremore Police inspector John Singer. It was consistent with what was stated in protective orders filed against Parks and reported elsewhere.

A few items testified by Inspector Singer:

• Parks admitted to severing the dog’s head and leaving it on a doorstep.
• The rest of the dog, which was partially skinned, was recovered near Oologah Lake based upon Parks’ directions to it.
• Police recovered a splitting maul, which Parks stated he had used to decapitate the dog, from Parks’ apartment with Parks’ consent.
• Parks text-messaged an associate asking if he knew where to hide a body. Thinking it was a joke, the individual replied, “How big?” Parks replied that it was the size of a small boy.
• Singer stated on cross examination that the dog in question was a full-grown Labrador retriever and that it would be consistent with the size of a small boy.
• Police recovered three weapons, at least two loaded, from Parks’ apartment and vehicle. There was one spent shell casing found on the floor of Parks’ apartment.
• Parks’ writings referenced an “RSU Massacre,” wherein he wrote about entering Preparatory Hall on the RSU campus and shooting eight people.
• Parks admitted to police that he has struggled with violent thoughts and homicidal desires since he was a small child, and that he has had urges, when passing a random woman at Wal-Mart, to stab her.
• In one of Parks’ writings from Jan. 27, 2008, he records a desire, upon seeing a 12-year-old girl at Warehouse Market, to throw her in his trunk, take her home, and rape her for days.
• Parks admitted a history of torturing animals.

The defense argued:

• The police had no evidence, other than Parks’ admission, that he had fired the weapons recovered from his apartment.
• The mental professionals who examined Parks’ determined that he should undergo outpatient treatment.
• Parks has no record of violence.
• Parks is a good student with family support and a connection to the community and that he had, to the police’s knowledge, not acted on his writings.

Both the State and the Defense argued that the subject of bond hinged on the question of whether Parks is a threat to the community. The State argued that Parks poses a great potential threat; the Defense argued that he is no threat.

Judge Smith asked if the State had a requested bond amount, to which D.A. Hasselman stated that due to the potential threat to the community and that the statutes allow Parks to be held without bond, that was the State’s request. Judge Smith informed the D.A. that he has a belief that only defendants charged with first-degree murder deserve to be held without bond and that he would be setting a bond at the hearing. The D.A. then requested a bond of $750,000 plus certain restrictions. The Defense, citing the U.S. and Oklahoma Constitutions, argued that that bond amount was excessive and unfair. The Defense asked for a “reasonable bond” of $5,000, stipulating certain conditions.

Judge Smith stated that this case is one of the most concerning set of allegations he has seen in his 30-year career, and that though the bond amount is high, he believes it is justified due to the potential threat posed to the community by Parks. He then set the bond amount at $750,000 cash or property plus certain restrictions to be set by him if Parks can come up with the bond. The judge also indicated that he intends to accelerate the case and specially set the preliminary hearing or sounding docket. He also stated that he will allow the Defense to re-urge its motion for a lower bond as the case progresses and charges are finally filed. He further directed that charges, or good cause as to why they are not, should be filed before the next hearing, which is before Judge Smith at 9:00 AM, March 6, 2008. Parks was then remanded to the custody of Rogers County Sheriff’s Department in lieu of bond.

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