Pubdate: Fri, 09 Jun 2000
Source: Topeka Capital-Journal (KS)
Copyright: 2000 The Topeka Capital-Journal
Contact:  616 S.E. Jefferson, Topeka, Kansas 66607
Website: http://cjonline.com/
Author: Steve Fry

THREE SAY GOOD KNEW OF DRUG USE

Three witnesses told a jury Thursday that John Frank Good knew about the
drug addiction of Timothy P. Oblander, Good's partner and best friend, in
1995 when the two men were Shawnee County sheriff's narcotics investigators.

Good, who was a sergeant when he was fired earlier this year from the
sheriff's department, is charged with two counts of felony perjury stemming
from his testimony on Feb. 22, 1999, and March 10, 1999, in Shawnee County
District Court during which he denied knowing Oblander had used illegal
drugs.

The first of the three witnesses Thursday was Shawnee County sheriff's
Detective Scott Holladay, who told a district court jury that in May 1995,
Good, Oblander and Holladay performed narcotics investigations.

On May 12, 1995, Oblander had disappeared, spurring a search by the
sheriff's department before he was found in his county pickup truck near
Silver Lake. Oblander briefly returned to work before he was absent again.
Oblander entered a one-month drug treatment program on June 27, 1995.

About a week after Oblander was absent, Holladay testified, Good initiated a
conversation with Holladay late one afternoon in Good's office. Good told
Holladay he wanted to be honest with him about Oblander's situation,
Holladay said.

Good "indicated to me that Tim currently was at Valley Hope (drug and
alcohol treatment facility) and that he was being treated for a drug
addiction," Holladay told jurors.

Good said Oblander had been using drugs for about a year, with some drugs
coming from aids used to train sheriff's department drug detection dogs and
some drugs coming from undercover purchases by Oblander, Holladay testified.
Holladay said Good told him Oblander was using cocaine and methamphetamine.
Good also told Holladay he thought some drugs Good had taken to court as
evidence had been opened, Holladay testified.

Then-Sheriff Dave Meneley was aware of Oblander's drug addiction because
Oblander's wife had told the sheriff, Holladay said Good told him. Good said
Oblander had started using drugs out of curiosity, because he had wondered
why people would consume drugs, Holladay testified.

What was Holladay's reaction to Good's information?

"I was amazed," Holladay said. "I was shocked."

Holladay didn't contact other law enforcement agencies or prosecutors
because he assumed Meneley would address the situation appropriately. By
October 1995, Holladay said, he had decided the sheriff's administration
wasn't dealing with the situation.

In January 1996, Holladay told Assistant District Attorney Tony Rues about
what Good had told him, and in February or March 1996, Holladay told the
Kansas Bureau of Investigation what he testified to on Thursday.

Holladay was the investigator of the Caldwell drug case, in which about 20
grams of cocaine were stolen while locked in Holladay's office. The theft of
the Caldwell cocaine was the crime that eventually grew into the drug
scandal.

Another witness quoted Oblander's treatment records at Valley Hope on
Thursday.

Quoting a June 28, 1995, record, Robert Correll, who was Oblander's
alcohol-drug counselor at the facility, said Oblander came to Valley Hope
after he told his wife and partner of his addiction. Correll quoted other
facility records to show that Oblander's addiction was "cocaine dependence."
Correll said that people seeking treatment sometimes lie when they enter the
facility, but usually to minimize their problems.

Assistant Attorney General Jim Welch told jurors that in May 1995, Good used
the telephone at Welch's automotive garage in northern Shawnee County to
return a page. Good brought his cars to Welch, an automotive technician, to
work on.

After making the phone call, Good told Welch that he needed to go to Silver
Lake, Welch said. Good told Welch that Oblander had become addicted to
drugs, including "nose candy," got in a "horrible fight" with his wife and
had been gone for three days, Welch testified.

Oblander, who was a corporal when he resigned Feb. 26, 1999, testified for
five hours on Wednesday and Thursday. Good's trial resumes today.
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