Cherokee Ballard, an Oklahoma native and University of Oklahoma graduate came back to her Alma Mater this past week to speak to the future journalists in the Gaylord College.
Cherokee Ballard is a former reporter in Oklahoma City and also worked as a spokesperson for the medical examiner’s office. Britten Follet is another former Oklahoma City reporter who spoke at OU along with Ballard.
She was heavily involved in the Kelsey Smith Briggs homicide and was responsible for a lot of media swirl around it. No one was ever convicted of the murder of 2 year old Kelsey Smith Briggs, however, Ballard believes she knows who was responsible for her death and used every resource to let the public know without actually disclosing names.
Britten Follet was also involved in uncovering the truth behind Kelsey’s murder. Ballard and Follet worked together knocking on doors and interviewing everyone they could to get answers. Both reporters stirred up a lot of controversy because of their persistence in the case. Much of the information they obtained, they were not allowed to speak about publicly so they decided to write a book.
Another controversy Ballard was involved in was the bribery case in the ME’s office this past month. She announced she was leaving to pursue another job offered to her in the midst of the case and was called to testify. When asked if the case had anything to do with her leaving, she said no. She said it was a stressful job and she was ready to leave long before the scandal had surfaced.
Ballard said “I always tell the truth.” This is something that has helped and hurt her throughout her years as a reporter and her short time as a spokesperson at the ME’s office. She said she was sued while working at the ME’s office for simply being a person. The truth can bring out the worst in people and Follet said “That’s why we’re no longer in TV news.”
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| Cherokee Ballard and Britten Follet Taken By Siobhan Weathers |
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| Cherokee Ballard Taken By Siobhan Weathers |
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