In 2023, District 1 Medical Examiner Deanna Oleske filed a defamation lawsuit against two Pensacola funeral home directors, Jerald S. Mitchell and Richard Trahan. One might think the News Journal would write that Oleske made a settlement offer to Mitchell on August 29. See Settlement_Mitchell.
No, the Gannett-owned newspaper skipped over the settlement proposal and today reported on another round of depositions scheduled for late October, nearly six weeks from now, that include Commissioner Steven Barry ( Barry depo), County Attorney Alison Rogers and former commissioner and now Supervisor of Elections Robert Bender (More Deps). The notice of depositions for Bender and Rogers was dated August 19, three weeks ago. The notice for Barry was filed August 27, two weeks ago.
Barry, Rogers, and Bender aren’t defendants in the case. However, the PNJ loves to include that Oleske accused Barry as “co-conspirator” in his filings with the court, which the newspaper first reported in August 2024 during the 2024 election cycle. Barry easily defeated Joshua Roberson, 21,678 to 13,414. The PNJ reported “co-conspirator” claim again in December 2024.
Why are notices of deposition filed two to three weeks ago, and scheduled six weeks from now, worthy of reporting today, September 10?
- Or is this a distraction? Justin J. Wright, the man accused of blowing up a car near the home of Escambia County Clerk Pam Childers, is scheduled to appear in federal court today at 1:30 p.m.
