Alva Review-Courier -

A federal civil suit against Woods County Undersheriff Keith Dale and other defendants has been dismissed. A document filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma on Sept. 1 states that the parties jointly stipulate that Case No. CIV-20-1251-F should be dismissed with prejudice against all defendants, including Defendant Keith Dale, aka “Deputy Dale” in his individual capacity, Woods County Sheriff’s Office, Board of County Commissioner of the County of Woods and Jane Does 1-10. Each party should bear their own fees and costs.

The joint stipulation of dismissal is signed by Jordan L. Miller of Collins, Zorn and Wagner, P.C., attorneys for the defendant, as well as Robert Gifford of Gifford Law P.L.L.C. for the plaintiff.

In December 2020, the Alva Review-Courier reported that Woods County Undersheriff Keith Dale had been named as the lead defendant in a civil lawsuit filed in federal court. Plaintiff Michael David Zimmerman alleged his civil rights were violated by falsifying of an affidavit that led to federal charges in Oklahoma City (later dismissed) and pushing a “malicious prosecution” in Garfield County, according to a news release from his attorney Robert D. Gifford of Oklahoma City.

In addition to Dale, other defendants listed in the lawsuit were John and Jane Does (described as employees of the Woods County Sheriff’s Office), the Alva Police Department, the Office of the Woods County District Attorney and the elected District Attorney Chris Boring, and other employees of Woods County yet to be determined in the discovery process.

Zimmerman alleged in the now dismissed lawsuit that the defendants falsified an affidavit used to obtain a search warrant for a suite in a business building in Alva, allegedly the residence of Zimmerman.