Sunday, September 1, 1996
ID Files Update

Is It 1990 All Over Again?

By Jean Duffey

Dan Harmon, Saline County's most notorious public figure, is getting media attention for assaulting his ex-wife. He is arrested, and a check of his record shows that he has been driving on suspended driver's license stemming from a violation out of another county. The ball is passed to an appointed prosecutor who delays making a decision on whether or not to file charges. Harmon's ex-wife later recants and nothing significant happens to Harmon. Editorials reflect the public's frustration with the maneuvers that protect Harmon's political position.

The U.S. Attorney's office is reviewing evidence that several Saline County officials are involved in serious illegal activities involving drugs. The investigation drags on for months, but the newspapers suggest there is a significant amount of evidence piling up. Dan Harmon is a specific target of the feds and there is a great deal of speculation about impending indictments that the U.S. Attorney attempts to down-play.

Linda Ives is encouraged that a local newspaper reported my claim of a connection between the murders of Kevin and Don and Saline County public officials involved in drug trafficking. It is apparent from the article I have valuable and credible information.

By the way, what year is this - 1990 or 1996? Take your pick. There's no recognizable difference. The occurrences of this year look painfully familiar - it's 1990 all over again. That certainly makes it easy to predict what will happen in 1997. The plain, clear, simple truth is - nothing. Nothing will happen. There will be no indictments of any public official. In fact, Paula Casey will hold a news conference in about six months to announce that there was no credible evidence of any wrong doing of any public official in Saline County. She will then go on to specifically clear Dan Harmon and all the members of his family.

How do I know? Do I sound unnecessarily sarcastic? Judge for yourself. Below are excerpts and summaries of just a few of the newspaper articles from the years I have mentioned. It literally looks like the players of 1996 read the script from 1990. Prepare to be amazed by a quintessence of the adage, "truth is stranger than fiction."

1990
1996
Arkansas Gazette - July 12, 1990 - The unopposed democratic nominee for prosecutor, Dan Harmon broke into his former wife's house Tuesday night and attacked her, a friend, and a neighbor police said. Wednesday night, Harmon was stopped by the Benton police and charged with driving on suspended driver's license. (Harmon's ex-wife in 1990 was Teresa Huchingson.)
Benton Courier - Apr. 1, 1996 - Prosecuting Attorney Dan Harmon was arrested Saturday after abducting his ex-wife, Holly DuVall (ex-wife #4). DuVall said during a car-chase Harmon threw a rock and broke her driver's side window, pulled her out of her car, and drove off at 100 mph. After releasing DuVall, Harmon was pulled over for running a stop sign and it was discovered that he was driving on suspended driver's license.
Benton Courier - July 16,1990 - A decision on whether to file charges against prosecutor-elect Dan Harmon in connection with a domestic dispute last week will be made by Benton City Attorney Joe Kelly Hardin instead of Prosecuting Attorney Gary Arnold
Malvern Daily Record - Apr. 5, 1996 - Special Circuit Judge Hamilton Singleton appointed Garland County Prosecutor Paul Bosson as special prosecutor. Bosson said his office still has some work to do before he can file any charges against Harmon.
Arkansas Democrat - Aug. 4, 1990 - The three people who reported that prosecuting attorney-elect Dan Harmon attacked them July 10, apparently are not going to press charges. Harmon's ex-wife did not show up to meet with the city attorney.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - June 20, 1996 - Special Prosecutor Paul Bosson said there was a problem with the felony charges against Harmon because DuVall said Harmon didn't threaten her. Bosson also said DuVall didn't want her former husband to go to jail.
Benton Courier - July 31, 1990 - Editorial Letter: Your paper quoted Saline County Democratic Party Chairman Ray Baxter as saying Harmon's troubles are "none of the party's business." He was surely speaking on behalf of the good old boys club. It obviously is the party's business that Harmon has been accused of criminal behavior.
Malvern Daily Record - Apr. 2, 1996 - Editorial: You'd think that by now Harmon's political capital would be spent but this is Arkansas. A state that gave Jim McDougal a wad of votes in the 1992 Democratic primary and re-elected Bill McCuen year after year would certainly be willing to give a guy like Harmon another chance.
Arkansas Gazette - Nov 27, 1990 - Current and former Saline County officials are the target of a year-old federal investigation into public corruption and illegal drug sales, sources familiar with the investigation said Monday. Some of the witnesses are convicted felons who have been granted immunity from federal prosecution in exchange for their testimony.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - Jan. 28, 1996 - Several former drug suspects are now cooperating with federal authorities in their investigation of Saline County by telling how they managed to escape prosecution by leaving large sums of money or property behind. Several former suspects have been offered immunity, and a "surprising" number have agreed to testify.
Arkansas Gazette - Dec. 12, 1990 - Dan Harmon is a primary target of a federal grand jury investigation of public official corruption and drug trafficking in Saline County according to U.S. Attorney's Office memos. "It appears Harmon not only used cocaine, but that he distributed it." Indictments could be returned soon.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - Aug 6, 1996 - U.S. Attorney Paula Casey said Monday that an FBI investigation of alleged corruption linked to Harmon's drug task force is ongoing. However, Casey would not speculate when the investigation would be completed in spite of earlier predictions of imminent indictments.
Benton Courier - Dec. 13, 1990 - Links between a federal grand jury investigation into Saline County drug trafficking and the corruption of public officials and the 1988 investigation into the deaths of two Saline County teen-agers have only begun to surface, according to Scott Lewellen, who resigned from the 7th Judicial District Drug Task Force in protest of Jean Duffey being fired as administrator.
Malvern Daily Record - Mar. 20, 1996 - According to former drug task force administrator, Jean Duffey, an eyewitness came forward in December, 1993, who places Dan Harmon on the tracks with Kevin Ives and Don Henry the night they were murdered. The witness passed a polygraph test and prompted the FBI to begin an investigation. Duffey alleges a cover-up of the murders is to protect a drug smuggling operation.
1991
1997
Arkansas Gazette - June 28, 1991 - U.S. Attorney Chuck Banks announced earlier in the day that Harmon, his family, and all Saline County public officials have been cleared of allegation of drug-related public misconduct and all other forms of wrong-doing.
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