MCCURTAIN COUNTY, Okla. (KTAL/KMSS) – Citizens are filling up the parking lot in front of the McCurtain County Commissioner’s office to protest abhorrent comments reportedly made by the Sheriff, a commissioner, an investigator, and a jail administrator.

The officials are accused of discussing killing a reporter and returning to hanging Black people in recordings released over the weekend. According to the McCurtain Gazette-News, who initially published the report, District 2 Commissioner Mark Jennings, investigator Alicia Manning, Jail Administrator Larry Hendrix and Sheriff Kevin Clardy were recorded during a conversation on March 6 at a meeting of the county Board of Commissioners.

Citizens in the crowd are holding signs stating “Silence is NOT an option” and “Resign Now!” The crowd continued to grow through the morning. Around 100 people showed up Monday to demand their resignations.

In one recording clip, one of the officials says, “They don’t have a goddamn clue what they’re getting into,” he said. “Not this day and age. I’m going to tell you something — if it was back in the day, when Alan Marston would take a damned Black guy and whoop their (expletive) and throw them in the cell, I’d run for (expletive) sheriff.”

Another can be heard responding, “Yeah, well it’s not like that no more.”

The man then answers that Black people have more rights than others and calls to hang them.

“Take them down to Mud Creek and hang them up with damned rope,” he said. “But you can’t do that anymore. They’ve got more rights than we got.”

In another recording, one official can be heard saying, “What they really don’t know is that (crosstalk)… they are insignificant in my life, really. They bring no (indistinguishable.) The old saying is what comes around goes around. It will, I told you it will. I know where two big deep holes are if you ever need them.”

Another person answers “I’ve got an excavator” and the official responds “Well, these are already pre-dug.”

Governor Stitt formally called the officials to resign in a statement released Sunday.

In another clip, there is a casual discussion about hiring a hitman.

“I’ve known, I’ve known two or three hit men, they’re very quiet guys… Yeah? And would cut no (expletive) mercy. Yeah. In Louisiana. Cause this is all Mafia around here. Oh yeah.”

This is a developing story, and more information will be provided as it becomes available.