“Justice delayed is justice denied.”
No, that’s not a bad yearbook quote or a paralegal’s bumper sticker. It’s a phrase that appears in the latest radio ad for attorney Joseph Costa – a candidate for district judge in Pottawatomie and Lincoln counties.
It’s a pretty run-of-the-mill quote, but it seemed relevant to share after NonDoc dropped a bombshell story reporting that Costa was investigated by OSBI – but never charged – for allegedly raping one of his clients in 2020.
Here are the details via NonDoc:
Joseph Costa, a district judge candidate in Pottawatomie and Lincoln counties, was investigated — but not charged — for an allegation he raped a client at his office in 2020. The incident drew a victim’s protective order that lasted seven months and Oklahoma Bar Association complaints from prosecutors and the woman, who maintains the encounter was predatory and should disqualify Costa from holding office or practicing law.
The allegation resurfaced this month when NonDoc received a copy of an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent’s September 2020 search warrant application. The document was provided by a third party who said she was not associated with the woman or Costa’s opponent, Troy Officer. The person said she ultimately decided to support Officer’s campaign owing to the allegation against Costa.
In the request to seize biological evidence and documents from Costa’s office, OSBI Special Agent Adam York outlined the allegation by Elizabeth Groves, a Jones native who learned of Costa’s judicial candidacy Monday when contacted by NonDoc.
Stunned that the man she said raped her in 2020 is now running for office, Groves agreed to speak publicly about the situation for the first time.
You can read Groves’ story over at NonDoc.