Springfield MO: Cop's Group Considering Suit Against KOSP

An attorney for the Springfield, MO Police Officers Association is reviewing whether comments made by a local radio peronsality earlier this month could be considered defamation, the association's president told the News-Leader Monday.

A series of recordings obtained by the News-Leader, meanwhile, reveal a portion of what exactly was said on the show — which prompted the association to call for a boycott of Top40 KOSP 92.9 FM.

President Mike Evans said the association expects to have the final recommendation from its attorney by early December.

The police association called for the boycott of KOSP, commonly known as 92.9 The Beat, on Nov. 14 after morning cohost Richard Deaver talked on air about being stopped by police.

Deaver, the 25-year-old co-host of "Rich and McClain in the Morning," was pulled over while driving a scooter to work around 5 a.m. Nov. 14 and was issued citations for running a flashing red light and not having a valid driver's license. His scooter was also searched for drugs after an officer claimed he smelled marijuana; nothing was found in the search, which involved a K-9 unit. Deaver was handcuffed and placed in a patrol car while the search was conducted. An officer also told Deaver that he had a non-extraditable warrant for his arrest out of Camden County, Mo.

In calling for a boycott of the station, the association said Deaver used his position "to lie about facts, distort the truth, and try to intimidate our members by threatening to disparage them publicly for doing their job."


Management with Mid-West Family Broadcasting, which owns KOSP, has not responded to requests for comment regarding the boycott. Deaver declined to be interviewed on the record, although he did later release a statement to the News-Leader.