The former top lawyer for the state health department pleaded guilty to false harassment charges this week.
In 2018, Julie Ezell sent herself threatening emails posing as a medical marijuana advocate. The emails threatened retribution if the board of health imposed restrictive rules on medical marijuana. The board ended up passing the rules, but after public uproar later overturned them.
Ezell confessed to sending herself those emails and resigned as general counsel of the Health Department. She was charged with two felonies but this week received a plea deal, dropping the charges to one misdemeanor and one felony and five years of probation. She also had to reimburse the state about $20,000 for the investigation.
Ezell could face further consequences over the threatening emails from the Oklahoma Supreme Court. One possible discipline is the suspension of her law license.
