An altercation between Osage Nation Secretary of Development Christian “Casey” Johnson and Financial Assistance employee Nikia Parker at the ON Welcome Center has led to an ongoing investigation and a pending termination hearing for Parker.
On April 3, around 8:15 a.m., ON Police Officer Matthew Bennett responded to a call about an employee altercation made by Human Resources Director Julio Nunez, according to the police report.
A rank-and-file employee, speaking on the condition of anonymity, described a heated argument between Johnson and Parker over a disagreement related to the Wahzhazhe National Cemetery, which has been a significant project for the Osage Nation.
The employee said Johnson, who is not Parker’s direct supervisor under the current administration’s organizational chart, was arguing with a visibly upset Parker when he waved his cell phone in Parker’s face. The altercation escalated when Parker slapped the phone out of Johnson’s hand. ON Housing Director Brandon Wallace intervened before the situation could escalate further.
Although there has been speculation among employees about the specific reasons for the argument, sources have not confirmed the exact nature of the dispute. It is known that the new cemetery’s policies and procedures were published in late April, and more information can be found on the ON Real Estate Services page.
After Officer Bennett arrived, Johnson and Parker were seen exiting the building at separate times through side entrances. No arrests were made. Johnson has continued his duties as Secretary, while Parker has not been seen at work since the incident.
This is the first time the ONPD has been called to a workplace altercation involving a high-ranking official and a lower-level employee at a key public institution, such as the Welcome Center.
The Osage News requested the video footage from the Welcome Center, but it was denied due to the ongoing investigation. The News did receive a redacted police report, and the ON Attorney General’s office has stated that the full report and video footage will be made public once the investigation concludes.
Parker, who has retained legal representation from Donald Lepp of Drummond Law PLLC, is fighting for his job. His grievance hearing is set for May 21 and is closed to the public.
Both Johnson and Parker declined comment for this article.
CORRECTION: In the original version of this article, it was incorrectly stated that Johnson approached Parker to begin the chain of events. It is unknown at this time who initiated the conversation.
