Oil Well May Be Accepted as Bail Collateral

A federal magistrate said Friday she will consider allowing an Oklahoma oil well to be used as collateral for bail for a former Kingfisher, Okla., man accused of hiring a man to kill a business rival.

Robert Brian Boeckman, 29, now of Santee, remains in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Boeckman, his father, Robert George Boeckman, 57, of Kingfisher, Okla. and three other men are charged with conspiring to kill Robert Barr III, 46, of Dover, Okla.

Barr survived a shotgun blast that hit him while he was sitting in his bedroom on Aug. 7, 1985. He had previously sued the Boeckmans for $1.7 million that Barr said they owed his oil collection business.

Will Consider It

“I’m not saying I’ll accept it, but I’m willing to consider it,” said U.S. District Magistrate Irma Gonzalez.

Boeckman’s brother, Bart Boeckman, 28, of Kingfisher, testified that the well is worth $100,000 and that he owns 90% of it. He said he bought the well from a banker for $32,000.

Bart Boeckman did not have any documents to prove the well’s value, so he was told to supply those documents to the prosecution and the court.

Independent Evaluation

Gonzalez told him she needs an independent evaluation of the well and its output.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Patrick Coughlin opposed the proposal, saying the case originated with a dispute over oil.

A trial date will be set in October when the defendants return to court for pre-trial motions.