Tulsa Police Officer Bruce Bonham calls accusers liars

Officer Bruce Bonham testifies in the Tulsa Police corruption trial on Thursday. Watercolor by EVELYN PETROSKI

By OMER GILLHAM World Staff Writer & GAVIN OFF World Data Editor

Grand jury investigates police corruption: Read all of the stories, view a timeline and read key documents.

Bonham is the second indicted police officer to take the witness stand in a police misconduct trial in U.S. District Court in Tulsa. The decorated officer also explained his actions and behavior, which were captured on an FBI surveillance video on May 18, 2009.

Meanwhile, defense attorneys rested their cases Thursday in the criminal trial of Bonham, 53, Officer Nick DeBruin, 38, and retired Cpl. Harold R. Wells, 60. The officers are on trial before U.S. District Judge Bruce Black of New Mexico. The federal trial began May 31.

The three officers are accused of a combined 13 counts, including conspiracy, drug possession with intent to distribute and planting drugs on people they had arrested.

During the trial, the defense called 30 witnesses, many of them Tulsa officers who testified that they never saw or heard DeBruin, Bonham or Wells plant drugs or steal drug money. The prosecution called 14 witnesses before resting its case this week.

Jury instructions are expected to begin Friday morning with closing arguments to follow.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane Duke of eastern Arkansas is prosecuting the case.

So far, six current and former police officers and one former Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent have been charged in U.S. District Court in Tulsa. At least 33 people have been freed from prison or have had cases dismissed or modified as a result of the federal probe.

On the eighth day of the trial, Bonham testified about the events of a FBI sting at a local motel.

His co-defendant, DeBruin, took the stand Wednesday and explained how he and Bonham had taken money from the scene to have a drug dog sniff it for drug residue.

Bonham is a decorated police officer, earning numerous awards and citations from the Tulsa Police Department. During a 20-year career, he has earned the Medal of Valor, Purple Heart, Chief's Award and Life-saving Award, he said during testimony.

He is accused, along with Wells and DeBruin, of stealing U.S. funds during the FBI sting at a Super 8 motel.

Additionally, former officers Eric J. Hill and Callison Kaiser testified that the officers allegedly planted small amounts of drugs on individuals to gain convictions. Kaiser also testified that Bonham allegedly accepted stolen money from a drug search.

Bonham sternly denied allegations of planting drugs on anyone. He said such behavior is not tolerated by TPD. Bonham said he would have reported any such behavior if he had witnessed it by other Tulsa police officers.

"I have never planted drugs on people or replaced drugs," Bonham said. "Absolutely not. It makes no sense to do that. There is no need to risk your career when you can make legal arrests every day."

Bonham said Hill and Kaiser lied when they testified about him.

Hill and Kaiser have admitted stealing money during a drug search and have prosecutorial immunity as government witnesses.

During testimony, Bonham recounted the events of May 18, 2009 - the day that he and other officers believed they were conducting a drug operation at a Super 8 motel.

Inside the motel was an FBI agent posing as an illegal Mexican drug dealer known as "Joker." The FBI also placed about $13,000 in the room.

The FBI video shows Bonham accepting a roll of cash, about $1,000, from DeBruin. Bonham then placed it in his left pocket.

Bonham said there is a simple explanation for what the video shows: Bonham and DeBruin were removing the cash from the scene so a drug dog could sniff it. A day earlier, DeBruin testified to the same set of events.

Bonham said he gave the money back to DeBruin after he left the motel room because he realized the time was getting late and he had promised to attend a granddaughter's sporting event that evening.

Bonham's wife, Debbie, also testified Thursday, stating that she had been married to Bonham for 29 years. The couple have four children and live in Claremore.

Debbie Bonham corroborated her husband's testimony that he attended the sporting event. Debbie Bonham also said that her husband had accidentally taken home DeBruin's keys and that DeBruin called him to retrieve them.

Prosecutors allege that Bruce Bonham showed up at the motel long enough to allegedly steal about $1,000 and leave the scene to return home. At the request of DeBruin, Bonham had come in to work that day on a vacation day to help out with the drug bust.

Hill said that Tulsa police officers met after the sting to discuss what to do. The officers became suspicious after DeBruin and another police officer had stopped a federal agent in the parking lot of the Super 8.

The target of the sting, former officer John K. "J.J." Gray, was lured to the motel by Debra Clayton, a drug felon working for the FBI. Gray pleaded guilty in June to theft of government funds. Officers Jeff Henderson and Bill Yelton remain in custody and are set for trial next month in another case of alleged corruption.

Debbie Bonham said that she keeps track of the family financials and that the family does not have extra money in their accounts.

Veteran Officer Dan Tedrick, who worked with Bonham, said he never saw Bonham plant substitute drugs on a suspect who might have thrown the original drugs away or swallowed them.

If Bonham planted drugs, "I wonder why I had to scrape the dope out of their (the suspects') mouths, which I had to do on numerous times," Tedrick said.

But it's difficult to know everything that happens during a drug bust or traffic stop, Tedrick said during the prosecution's cross examination.

Tedrick worked a traffic stop with former ATF agent Brandon McFadden in 2008, when McFadden allegedly stole drugs. McFadden has since pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charges.

Tedrick said he was unaware of McFadden's activities during the stop.

"You can only pay attention to so many things at once," he said.

During cross examination, Bonham said Gray and Wells appeared to be doing something suspicious on the FBI video.

On the video, Gray can be seen holding up a roll of money and saying, "I got a wad. I got a grand." Wells had just asked Gray a question: "Did you take care of us," Wells says on the video.

"If I didn't know Harold, I would say that was suspicious behavior," Bonham said.

Thursday’s developments Tulsa Police Officer Bruce Bonham took the witness stand in his defense. He is the second indicted police officer to take the stand this week.

Defense attorneys for the three indicted officers wrapped up their case shortly before 5 p.m. Thursday. Jury instructions and closing arguments begin Friday morning.

Interesting moments During the cross examination of Bonham, prosecutors played an FBI surveillance video that allegedly showed three officers pocketing drug money in a motel room. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Harris asked Bonham if he recognized the person on the left corner of the screen. “That might be my stomach. I don’t know,” Bonham said. “I have the largest stomach in the room.” Bonham’s comment drew a quiet laugh in the courtroom.

After watching video of former Tulsa Police Officer John K. “J.J.” Gray showing drug money to Cpl. Harold R. Wells before Gray placed it in his pocket, Bonham said, “It appears that he is (stealing it), yes.” Bonham then added, “If I didn’t know Cpl. Wells as well as I do … it would look suspicious.”

Key testimony Bill Lunn, Bonham’s defense attorney: He named several awards the 20-year police veteran has received. They include the department’s Medal of Valor, Lifesaving Award, Purple Heart and Chief’s Award.

Bonham’s wife, Debbie Bonham: She corroborated her husband’s testimony that Bonham attended a sporting event the night of the FBI sting. Debbie Bonham also said that her husband had accidentally taken home Tulsa Police Officer Nick DeBruin’s keys that night, and that DeBruin called him to retrieve them. Prosecutors allege that Bruce Bonham showed up at the hotel long enough to allegedly steal about $1,000 and leave the scene to return home. Bonham had come in to work that day on a vacation day.

Bruce Bonham: He testified that his police car was parked just a few minutes away from the Super 8 motel where the drug sting took place. He said evidence bags were likely in the vehicle. Despite the car’s proximity, police officers placed thousands of dollars in their pants pockets, as shown on an FBI surveillance video. Bonham said the money in his pocket was meant to go before a drugsniffing dog. Notations that the officers tried to get a drug dog were not included in police reports prepared after the sting occurred.

Original Print Headline: Officer calls accusers liars

omer.gillham@tulsaworld.com gavin.off@tulsaworld.com

By OMER GILLHAM World Staff Writer & GAVIN OFF World Data Editor

Some reader comments for this page were copied from " More officers testify for the defense in police corruption trial ," which was published on 6/9/2011.