MONTAGUE COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) — A decision has been made regarding the currently suspended Clay County Sheriff Jeff Lyde and a motion that was filed by his defense team to vacate his suspension and dismiss the case to remove him from office.
According to officials with the 97th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, presiding Judge Lee Gabriel ruled to deny the motion on Monday, August 21, 2023, keeping Lyde’s temporary suspension in place and allowing the petition to remove him from office to continue with proceedings.
Judge Gabriel’s decision comes ten days after Lyde was in the 97th Judicial District Courtroom at the Montague County Courthouse on Friday, August 11, 2023, where two hearings were held regarding pending cases against Lyde.
On Friday morning, August 11, 2023, counsel for both the state and the defense agreed to a change of venue regarding Lyde’s pending criminal charges, moving proceedings from Clay County to Montague County.
Lyde, indicted on five counts of official oppression and two counts of tampering with evidence, has a hearing set in Montague County on Monday, September 11, 2023, regarding his pending criminal charges.
Then, on Friday afternoon, both the state and the defense presented their cases regarding the motion filed by Lyde to lift his temporary suspension and dismiss the petition to remove him from office. After a brief hearing, Judge Gabriel said she would have to review existing case law before ruling.
A date has not yet been set for the next hearing regarding the petition filed to remove Lyde from office, though it will likely come following the hearing scheduled for September 11, 2023, regarding the pending criminal charges against Lyde.
This is a developing story. Stick with Texoma’s Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
