Meet Andrew Harshman. Mr. Harshman apparently lost his girlfriend to Enid businessman Rick Childs. In response, Harshman did what any red blooded male does when trying to recapture their woman. He tried to hire a hitman. Luckily for Rick, Harshman was not very clever in his attempts. According to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs:
The investigation started when Enid Police learned that Mr. Harshman was actively soliciting the murder of a local business man and was offering to pay for the potential murder.
The Enid Police Narcotics Unit, EPD Investigative Service Division, along with an Agent with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs combined efforts to investigate this allegation. Officers were able to introduce an undercover officer to Harshman as the person who would potentially carry out the murder for hire. The undercover officer obtained enough information from Harshman to establish the solicitation, and through technical investigative procedures, surveillance, and outstanding undercover work by the OBN Agent, officers were able to establish probable cause to arrest Mr. Harshman Tuesday morning.
Bravo to Enid law enforcement, right? They saved a man’s life and set it up so Andrew Harshman will not be able to hurt anyone else. Well, at least not unless he does it during the week.
I know what you’re asking, “What?” Great question. According to this News9 article, Harshman was convicted of trying to hire one person to murder another person and his penalty is 60 weekends (a total of 120 days) in jail. Making it even less constricting is that they aren’t even consecutive weekends. The penalty requires that he spend at least one weekend per month in prison.
One weekend a month? Isn’t that what Army reservists have to commit? Of course, the reservists have the additional burden of possibly being sent to Iraq for an unspecified length of time. So, I guess the lesson is that reservists should offer an undercover police officer $36K to murder their ex-girlfriend’s new husbands.
how can you respond to this story with out muttering the phrase “this is bull***t”…what has our state/country come to? I’ve always said, “You can kill a human and get 10-15 years in prison, but you kill an animal and get life without parole”? Justice=crock.
If you read the following article at NewsOK, there are a few points worth paying attention to.
http://www.newsok.com/article/keyword/2997994/
1. He offered to pay the “hit man” $36,000, then admitted he could never come up with that much money. (He washes cars for a living)
2. Some of his ideas for carrying out the “hit” involved “untraceable rifles,” a bow and arrow, and slipping rattlesnake venom into the man’s barbecue. (You can drink rattlesnake venom without any ill effects, aside from gagging maybe)
3. His target was a “gentlemen’s club” owner who “stole” his “girlfriend.” If you aren’t aware of the club’s heartwarming history, you can read it here.
http://www.wildchildsclub.com/history.html
Boys, there is so much more to this story…let’s just say that 60 weekends was pretty harsh for what the state could actually prove…Mr. Childs is a piece of work who ran for Mayor for like 10 hours last election…was recently arrested and charged for Domestic Abuse (http://tinyurl.com/4w42pd), was arrested last year for Domestic Abuse resulting in Great Bodily Injury which was eventually dismissed because the state had witness problems and was charged in 2005 with A&B. SO…
Wow, that’s harsh, man.
If I was a prosecutor, and I could very well be, I’d have to consider the child custody situation and how it transforms the accused into a sympathetic creature. Further, the fact that it would have been nigh impossible for the accused to come up with the scratch needed for the hit makes the entire fact pattern seem rather comical (even if murder isn’t exactly uproarious). Finally, I suspect that the accused isn’t a repeat offender, or at least has no violent priors. Not only would it be tough for a prosecutor to sell Harshman as a danger to society, it probably isn’t in the best interests of society even to try.
Now then, who’s up for a roadtrip to Wild Child’s for amateur night?
Well, I guess if Childs is a douchebag, that changes everything. Of course, now that this precedent is set, Patrick is probably going to get a similar penalty ordering a hit on Dave Morris.
To kill a dream, you must become a dream, Young Patrick…
That link to the clubs website is priceless… You cant make stuff up that funny. Take a look at Wilds Bio….. That is priceless… On and not really safe for work site either…
Dude, you want no part of any of Enid’s “amateur” nights. Shoot, it is rare when I would be able to go to a regular bar and want to see any of the girls there naked, much less ones that would be at a place like Wild Childs.
It is a liquor bar though, from what I understand, so that’s kind of cool.
Gee guys it’s not like he came from a well connected oil and political family and was in a upper tier fraternity at OU and got away with date rape then proved what a douche he was on the Jack and Ron show now is he guys?
Not that I know anyone like that.
D-TAU REPRESENT!
As a long time reader first time writer and an Enid native, neither of the “men” are a benefit to society. And I beg of you not to go visit Wild Child’s, unless you are fan of “Chubby Chasing”, a local past time in Enid America….
Let’s face it, he made a stupid decision. However, the judge made an equally unwise decision based on the crime. I would really like the name of this guys lawyer. If I ever get into trouble I would love to have such a lenient penalty.
Ha! Steve quit commenting under the name “Patricia Grimes”
I have to love the haters that bash me!! Hugs out to all of you!! Your making me famous!! Lets get to reality folks, there would have been women and children at the company picnic!! would this have been so funny if say 10 kids were dead? As for the judge I would like to give him bonehead of the year award!! As for previous charges? If it is not a conviction it does not count!! I can make a outlandish claim like the judge was banging Harshmans mommy or maybe he flat took bribes!! Oh and this latest greatest domestic charge will go one of 2 ways a trial or dismissed!! If you look up the alleged victim you would see she had actually broke karen childs face up in our front yard and I previously held a PO aginst her oh and lets not for get the the fact she just tried to get a PO on me after This alleged incident and the judge would not issue it!! Did I also mention the reality of the fact was she first attacked another women and I got that stopped the she walked away then a little later attacked me!! So sit back and watch because if this goes to trial I promise one thing!! A 3 ring circus of a trial and when all her little ghosts come out people are going to go OMG!! Mine you ask? heck I own a strip club so I am all ready lookled at as trash by many so do you really think I care what people think of me? Heck No!! So judge hladik just to you!! your a damn idiot and one of the worst judges I ever seen!! you better make sure you do me under quick becuase when you come up for reelection just know I am going to make sure ever one rmeembers this if I have to spend a fortune on signs for every street corner and advertise in the enid news eagle every day!! Do us all a favor!! Hang you robe up and let Enid have a decent judge!! You sure are not one in my eyes and many others!! real about it all over the internet!! you made what I consider a total fool out of your self!! I do think if by some chance someone tries to have you killed they should get the same sentence!! How would you feel!! just wait and lets seee what happens with a judicial review, I do hope you recuse from any further case that has anything to do with me!!