The current Chief Judge of the Juvenile Division is requesting to be removed from overseeing the Family Center for Juvenile Justice's director and the Tulsa Board of County Commissioners want him replaced as chief judge entirely.
Chief Judge Kevin Gray was appointed to his position in early 2023 but documented issues with the center date back to July 2020.
The FCJJ was placed on probation in May 2023 for a variety of issues beginning in 2020. Many were not resolved.
Those complaints include only allowing inmates two hours a day out of their rooms when 12 hours is required, lacking enough staff, not resolving juvenile grievances, and the entire Unit C being inoperative because of bubbling and peeling walls.
The State of Oklahoma's Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) lifted the probation in January 2024. It's unclear why it was lifted and if all the issues were addressed.
In May, allegations of child rape, trafficking, and abuse were brought against the center in civil and criminal lawsuits.
2 News has covered the allegations for the beginning:
Civil Suit Alleges Child Rape, Abuse
The Board of County Commissioners said they learned on July 8 that the OJA held a series of interviews with Judge Gray and others about the misconduct and noncompliance allegations. The OJA also conducted a number of announced and unannounced visits to the center.
As a result, the OJA put the center back on probation, claiming the center has failed to satisfy its standards, applicable policies, and regulations. The board said it was not informed of or invited to participate in any of the OJA's interviews or visits.
WATCH: We've been working to learn more about the administration over the FCJJ
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Since then, Judge Gray asked to be relinquished of his responsibility over the detention center's director
Overseeing the FCJJ is just one duty of the Chief Judge of the Juvenile Division. Other duties involve overseeing juvenile court cases.
Because of this, the Tulsa Board of County Commissioners is scheduling a Special Meeting to request Presiding Judge of the Judicial Administrative District Dawn Moody to replace Gray as the Judge of the Juvenile Division.
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