Sep. 1--McAlester Watercooler Web site operator (mccooler.net) spent 33 minutes testifying before the Pittsburg County Grand Jury this afternoon, but said he was prevented from presenting very much of hi complaint against a loan company operator.

Harold King said he filed a complaint with the grand jury about signatures forged by Steve Covington, operator of a loan company.

"He has managed to get, what I believe illegally, a license to operate Loans Plus," King said before he was called before the jury.

The jury was seated at the request of Attorney General Drew Edmondson to look into "alleged lewd and lascivious acts against a child under 14 which were carried out by David Harold Eugene Earls which were not the subject of any prior adjudicated charge and plea agreement."

The jury's investigation into Earls began Monday. Earls, 65, was sentenced in a plea bargain agreement between his attorney and the District Attorney's office to a year in the county jail for the rape of the young McAlester girl he baby-sat.

In addition to the Earls case, grand juries in Oklahoma are able to investigate other crimes, if desired. After the Pittsburg County Grand Jury was impaneled, 15 separate complaints were filed with Pittsburg County Clerk Cindy Eller, who in turn handed them over to the Attorney General's office for possible presentation to the jury.

King said he filed a complaint about Covington and the loan company, but that Assistant Attorney General Tom Gruber would not allow him to talk to the grand jury about things he had not witnessed firsthand, despite several attempts. Eventually, King said, he was asked to leave the grand jury courtroom.

Later, King said he planned to speak with the FBI about the matter.

Gruber said he cannot comment about grand jury proceedings.

Earlier today, jurors deliberated for 32 minutes without their alternate jurors, possibly to decide on any indictments against Earls.

The grand jury continues its investigation, although no further witnesses have been seen at the courthouse.

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