New Sex Charge Leveled Against Rowland

A new charge of sexual harrassment against former state investigator Kevin E. Rowland was unveiled in Oklahoma County today.

Rowland now stands accused of groping a male employee who worked for him at the state medical examiner's office. In an indictment unsealed yesterday, he faces charges of inappropriate contact with a female office worker.

The state multicounty grand jury on Monday indicted Rowland twice. He is charged in the second indictment with one felony count of sexual battery.

Grand jurors alleged Rowland, 44, touched the private parts of a male investigator "while making a sexually explicit statement in reference to" the employee's private parts.

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ME's Offices Locked Down; Threat Real?

By Jerry Bohnen/NewsRadio 1000 KTOK ~ The State Medical Examiner's offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa are under lockdown for a second day in a row following a possible threat from an employee who talked of using a gun.

Both offices were under lockdown Thursday and remain so today, according to Cherokee Ballard, a spokeswoman for the Medical Examiner's office.

She told KTOK News any time there is talk of a gun by an employee, it's better to be safe than sorry. Ballard indicated an investigation is still underway to determine if the threat was real or not.

She explained the M-E's offices are still open to the public but other entrances normally accessed by workers using special security cards are off limits.

The lockdowns of both offices come as former Chief Investigator Kevin Rowland was indicted Thursday in Tulsa on sexual battery charges and again today in Oklahoma County district court. The indictment unsealed today cited him with sexual battery and involved a $2,000 bond.

Sources in Tulsa indicate the gun talk reportedly came from an employee who used to work in the Tulsa M-E's office and had been transferred to Oklahoma City. The employee reportedly was about to be terminated today.

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Grand Jury Rips ME's Office, Issues Indictments

A state grand jury today returned two sealed indictments and in its public report called for reforms in the medical examiner's office, including its merger with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

The report alleged that Kevin Rowland, the former chief investigator, "was obviously abusive," but for years was allowed to have "absolute power, control and authority over the entire office." Rowland refused to testify before the grand jury.

The Oklahoman's Nolan Clay has a comprehensive report at www.newsok.com.

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Louisiana Pathologist New Medical Examiner

Dr. Collie Trant, pathologist from Lafayette, Louisiana, is Oklahoma's next chief medical examiner, it was annnounced today.

Cherokee Ballard, spokeswoman for the medical examiner's office, said Trant accepted an offer to take the job and is beginning the paperwork to transfer his license from Louisiana to Oklahoma. He said he is aware of the current turmoil within the Chief Medical Examiner's office.

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Rowland Resigns From ME's Staff

Kevin Rowland resigned as chief investigator in the Medical Examiner's office as the agency remains under pressure from lawmakers to restructure how the Medical Examiner's office is overseen.

Before he resigned, Rowland was placed on paid leave, said Cherokee Ballard, spokeswoman for the Medical Examiner's Office.

The office has been in turmoil because of sexual harassment accusations against Rowland and other issues. Rowland has denied the allegations.

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