Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Stovall Fighting Termination

A 26-year veteran of the Arkansas State Police is fighting to get his job back.

Capt. Ron Stovall, commander of ASP Troop G in Hope, was terminated March 11 after being accused of informing a suspect in a drug investigation of the probe.

According to reports, this led to the suspect destroying the evidence.

The investigation into Stovall's involvement came after Nevada County Sheriff Steve Otwell informed the ASP in Little Rock of Stovall's actions stating they undermined a multi- agency probe of the suspect.

However, Stovall's attorney, Nick Patton of Texarkana, said his client gave the suspect what was called a "fork in the road" sermon" after a family friend in Prescott asked Stovall to counsel her 38-year-old son, who she believed was possibly using or selling drugs.

According to Patton, such counseling is considered an important part in the prevention of crime as officers tell those being counseled the possible consequences of their actions. "I think it's absolutely the most important role of a law enforcement officer," Patton said.

Such counseling, Patton continued, may be a "technical violation of (state police) regulations, but is something other officers have been known to do as well.

"If this ever gets to a hearing, there will be literally dozens of officers who'll say, 'Yes, I've done this,' and some will say they do it on a weekly basis," he said.

Stovall was informed of the reasons for his firing in a March 15 letter from Col. Tom Mars, with the ASP.

The letter states: "You had contacted a suspected drug dealer who was then a specific, identified target of a multi-agency narcotics investigation and intentionally communicated to him that law enforcement officials were aware of his illegal narcotics activity and he should discontinue such activity to avoid being arrested, prosecuted and incarcerated for a felony crime."

Patton didn't agree with the conclusions Mars reached, saying, "Mars interpreted the extent of the investigation in a more severe fashion than I see it. It was not an investigation that was leading to an arrest. It was not an investigation that was leading to a search warrant."

Patton filed a motion Friday in the Hope Circuit Court seeking an injunction against Stovall's appeals hearing. The motion was in response to another letter Mars sent to state police commissioners detailing his side of the case.

Such a move, Patton said, is improper as the commissioners will serve as jurors in the case to decide Stovall's fate concerning the justification of being fired.

The move was compared to an attorney communicating with jurors before or during a trial.

Mars, though, said his actions with the letter to the commissioners were more in line with a lawyer giving information to a judge.

Since Stovall's termination from the state police, rumors of Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee being involved have surfaced.

Some rumors have Huckabee engineering Stovall's removal from his post.

However, Rex Nelson, spokesman for the governor, said this simply isn't true. The state has more than 50,000 employees and the governor's office doesn't need to get involved in personnel decisions.

Patton pointed out Huckabee's wife, Janet, called Stovall to express her support in the matter. Her mother lives across the street from Stovall.

The attorney further stated Stovall was in no way trying to tip off the suspect and was simply doing a favor for a family friend by counseling the man.

Patton, Monday morning, said Stovall's actions are nothing more than any other officer would do as a matter of course.

He added this may be a technical violation of ASP policy, but the punishment seems to be severe in this case.

"He's been a superlative officer," Patton said. "His personnel record is spotless. There's nothing there."

According to Patton, officers have, on two occasions, attempted to purchase drugs from the suspect in question and have failed both times, so the investigation was going nowhere.

He added Stovall is a deacon in his church, and part of those duties include counseling those in need.

Discussing the letter from Mars to the commissioners, Patton said he disagrees with Mars' assumption this action is all right. "I think it's inappropriate. It's like me contacting a judge ready to hear my case."

Patton further said Stovall and Otwell have had disagreements in the past.

Sheriff Otwell couldn't be reached for comment as of press time.