Conspiring With the Enemy
Kelsey Smith-Briggs' Grandmother
Plots with Murderer?

Kelsey Smith-Briggs - a child, not a purpose.

By Barry Jon
Investigative Reporter

Lincoln County, OK - Kelsey Smith-Briggs died at the tender age of 2 years 9 months and 13 days. Accounts of her death and the last year of her life have been widely publicized throughout Oklahoma. A state law has been enacted in her name. A day has been designated in her honor. A judge who was an advocate for children has been unseated largely due to this case, and the DHS has been shaken to its core. All of this has finally culminated with two people being handed stiff prison sentences, but neither convicted of murder.

However, the evidence in this case bares little resemblance to the stories that have been spun and spread. Hearsay has turned Kelsey's story more urban legend than truth. Many rumors have been pushed as fact and passed off as evidence by people who should be in the know. This can only lead to the realization that these alterations have been done with intent. As the actual evidence in this case continues to be explored new revelations are being unearthed.

What we do know is that Kelsey's life was a continual volley between two families that despised each other. These families began feuding with the well-documented physical abuse of Kelsey's mother Raye Dawn Smith at the hands of Kelsey's father, Lance Briggs. According to court documents and multiple police reports Lance plead guilty to abuse on two separate occasions during their short marriage. Raye Dawn finally filed for divorce in May, 2002. Kelsey was born December 28th at the end of that turbulent year. When a DNA test reported a 99.99% probability that Lance was the father, Kelsey started a never-ending cycle of hand-offs, scheduled visits and court appearances. Her very name was contested in court by the paternal family until it was changed from her birth name, Kelsey Shelton Smith, to include a hyphenated Briggs on the end. Raye Dawn retained custody and Kelsey's father was awarded visitation.

When Kelsey reached two, her custody became fiercely contested between her mother and Kelsey's paternal grandmother, Kathie Briggs. Kathie had been awarded visitation in the fall of 2004 and a mutual family member warned Raye Dawn's family that a bitter custody battle would soon be underway. That battle escalated when the Briggs began making allegations of abuse in January, 2005. Although a police investigation ruled out abuse, DHS and the court system were left to unravel what the families could not. Anger was fueled as Briggs continued to anonymously report abuse, according to sources in DHS. Each report in succession was ruled out, and ultimately, from January to October of 2005, there were only two occurrences of injury that DHS found to be questionable. The first was a series of marks on Kelsey's bottom in January and the second was two fractured legs in April. Although both circumstances are disputed by experts on whether or not they are even abuse, witnesses, testimony, and timelines appear to place Kelsey with her paternal family, the Briggs, in both cases.

The urban legend began during this battle with a series of allegations by Kathie against Kelsey's mother. These allegations to this day cannot be substantiated. Many have tuned in from around the globe due to claims of Lance's military station in Iraq at the time of Kelsey's death. These claims are misstated to garner support for the Briggs' quest for justice for Kelsey; a quest that has recently been questioned as the facts about the actual abuse in this case continue come to light.Unfortunately, many good people have been roped into what appears to be a personal vendetta.

Kathie Briggs' entire argument for abuse and claims against Kelsey's mother rely on four things: 1) allegations of abuse by the Briggs that were investigated and cleared 2) abuse that points to having occurred in Briggs' custody 3) countless duplicate photos of normal childhood injuries including injuries sustained from a serious auto accident with a drunk driver and 4) Kelsey's sexual assault and murder at the hands of her step-father, according to the DA. In fact, Kathie has never been able to clear her own name as a perpetrator in the abuse, according to DHS and the confidential OCCY report.

Sadly, Kelsey died on October 11, 2005. Raye Dawn left home that day to pick up her step-daughter from school. She left Kelsey in the care of her step-father, Michael Porter. After a more than 45 minute round-trip, Raye Dawn returned to find Paramedics frantically attempting to revive Kelsey. Two separate Medical Examiners ruled Kelsey's death to be homicide with evidence of Sexual Assault and Blunt Force Trauma. The OSBI investigation pointed to only one perpetrator. District Attorney, Richard Smothermon charged Kelsey's step-father, Michael Porter, with both the Murder and Sexual Assault.

Michael PorterKathie Briggs

"You can call me at home if something comes up. I don't think my phone is tapped, don't know why it would be. You can also call my cell phone if you would be more comfortable 778-XXXX." Kathie to Porter 1-24-06

Shortly after being charged, Michael Porter began to correspond with Kathie Briggs and her daughters Shirica Howard and Jeanna Fowler in a series of emails that began in December, 2005 and lasted for the first two months of 2006. The alleged conspirators exchanged phone numbers and even met in secret to discuss the case and the evidence that could be mounted against Kelsey's mother and her family. Moreover, according to those emails Lance's sister, Shirica Howard, began passing information to Porter regarding the investigation in which he was the central suspect:

"…I have also talked to OSBI and have heard some things from them that are hard to take. I do want to warn you about a thing or two where that is concerned but not here. I would also love to be able to give you some insight from the DA, but again, not on here."
- Shirica Howard to Michael Porter 1/1/06

According to those same emails Shirica and her sister, Jeanna Fowler, started to actively lobby for the person the District Attorney, to this day, believes murdered and sexually assaulted their niece:

"My sister and I have come up with a plan to try and get something going with the DA. Not sure how successful we will be but I will let you know if anything comes of it." "We are doing what we can. Keep your fingers crossed."
- Shirica Howard to Porter 1/11/06

"If Jeanna was to talk with Smothermon is there anything that you would want him to know or anything you would want her to say that you feel he needs to know, but you cannot tell him yourself?"
- Shirica Howard to Porter 1/12/06

The emails go on to show it was Michael Porter who designed a billboard of Kelsey and began the process of placing it on a busy corridor of I-40 with the consent and approval of the Briggs including the consent of Kelsey's father, Lance:

"I would like your family to pick the picture of Kelsey that will be on the billboard on I-40. I need to send the company the proof so they can put it in digital format for printing…I know you will keep this discreet as you have everything else, I do not want to do anything to attract attention to myself."
- Porter to Shirica 1/17/06

"Mom's favorite picture is the one of her looking over her shoulder in the overalls…If you need the actual photo I can mail one somewhere or drop it by Midwest. You let me know what you need and I will get it to you."
- Shirica to Porter 1/17/06

"I have to tell you if Lance has approved letting you do something that is a big accomplishment. I mean BIG!" Kathie Briggs to Porter 1/24/06

"…money is not an object…I just wanted it done. I tried to have it done from jail, but that was very difficult. Everything I do for Kelsey has to be kept hidden at this point …" Porter to Kathie Briggs 1/24/06

When a billboard was donated instead, Kathie suggested Porter put one up in the town of Meeker. Kathie started an organization that perpetuated the urban legend called Kelsey's Purpose. According to the website, Kathie founded that organization on the premise that Kelsey's purpose in life was to be abused and murdered to bring attention to abuse in Oklahoma. Inconceivably, to garner more attention for the organization and remain "in" with the Briggs, Porter then helped fund stickers and signs for Kelsey's Purpose, according to emails with Kathie.

Kathie Briggs didn't hide want she was looking for in her emails. She took the time to meet with the person arrested for the murder of her granddaughter. Kathie even mentioned seeking charges against Gayla Smith, Kelsey's maternal grandmother, who was never suspected of anything. This shows how blind the hatred had become:

"I am sure you know who all I am interested in, but mostly Gayla or any family member…" Kathie Briggs to Porter

"First of all, I want Raye Dawn in jail and I want her charged with murder." Kathie Briggs to Porter 1/24/06

"Do you live close to something? I can meet you in the City. This should not be this hard. I don't have a problem with picking you up. It is not like I feel unsafe." "Don't chicken out, I don't bite, that was Kelsey's trademark." Kathie Briggs to Porter 1/24/06

Likely, the strangest off all statements made by Kathie, according to an email dated 2/24/06 and sent to Porter was, "Don't worry about getting to graphic, I need to know everything my grandchild suffered from." Kathie has long claimed that she and Porter never discussed what happened to Kelsey, yet this email seems to say otherwise.

Dozens of emails between the Briggs and Porter

Michael Porter never went to trial for Murder and Sexual Assault. DA, Richard Smothermon gave him a plea agreement with the amended charge of Enabling Child Abuse, then used his testimony in a trial against Kelsey's mother. Smothermon has since moved Porter out of state to serve his time and his whereabouts are kept hidden "for his protection" according to a spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Kelsey's mother, Raye Dawn, was found guilty of Enabling Child Abuse, despite the lack of any evidence showing her knowledge of Porter having laid a hand on Kelsey prior to her death. The DA released information before Porter's trial regarding their interview with a school counselor. According to the DA, six days after Kelsey's death Porter's eight-year-old daughter, Whitney, told a counselor at school, Katherine Reynolds, that her dad was nice to Kelsey when people were around, but when no one was looking her father was mean to her. The DA went on to share that Whitney described how she saw Porter hit Kelsey's head on a brick wall when no one was around. Whitney didn't share this with anyone until after Kelsey's death. To this day no evidence has been presented of Raye Dawn ever seeing any abuse by Porter.

DHS reports that Kelsey's mother was very active in Kelsey's life and cooperated with their requirements unconditionally. Raye Dawn even reportedly quit her job to concentrate on Kelsey's well-being. She lobbied to enroll Kelsey in a "play therapy" program in an effort to determine if anything outside of a medical condition was happening to her daughter. Kelsey's mother received authorization for that program in the mail the day Kelsey died.

Despite the lack of any evidence showing Kelsey's mother having had warning of such a vicious attack, a jury convicted her on the basis of Kelsey's death. The DA asked the jury to find her guilty solely on contested evidence and the fact that Kelsey's step-father committed the act. Raye Dawn is now appealing a 27 year sentence for a deed she did not commit and no evidence shows she allowed.

Read more about the emails here (this link takes you out of the US~Observer Oklahoma website):

Kathie Briggs & Michael Porter Emails

 

Read more about Kelsey's Case:

DHS Visitation Logs

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