Published: October 03, 2008 10:04 pm      

10-4 OKC watch

Late OC police officer’s funeral held

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Family, friends and law officers turned out for the funeral service of Oklahoma City police Sgt. Robert Douglas.

The 44-year-old Douglas died Sunday after more than five years in a coma following an on-duty motorcycle accident in July 2003.

Douglas was remembered Friday as a loving husband, caring father, devoted officer and a fun-loving mountain of a man.

He’s survived by his wife and a 6-year-old son.

Political yard-sign thefts up

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The theft of political yard-signs happens every election cycle, but signs for presidential candidate Barack Obama are vanishing at a faster rate than other candidates, Democratic officials said Friday.

At a news conference, state Democratic Chairman Ivan Holmes said while Obama’s signs are disappearing from yards, thieves are not taking signs for other Democratic candidates, such as U.S. Senate hopeful Andrew Rice and Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth.

He held up a burned sign taken from the yard of one Oklahoma City supporter of Obama and said he believes racism is behind the stealing of some signs of Obama, who is black.

“I think there is no question that with some people, it’s got to be racial,” he said.

Gary Jones, state Republican chairman, accused Holmes of “sensationalism.”

Jones said the theft of signs is a bipartisan effort, with signs for Republican candidate John McCain also disappearing.

“I guarantee we’re having as many or more signs missing as they are,” he said.

Holmes said the theft of Obama signs is happening in all 77 counties.

Jed Green, Obama’s campaign director, said it was hard to say that any one group was responsible for the thefts.