Criminal justice reform advocates want to amend the Oklahoma Constitution to prohibit sentence enhancements based on previous felonies for nonviolent offenders. The measure would also allow nonviolent offenders serving enhanced sentences to seek a modification in court. “A former conviction for one or more felonies shall not be used to enhance the statutorily allowable range […]
OCJR
Posted inNews
Seeking justice
Julius Jones has spent nearly half of his life on death row. He was convicted for the 1999 murder of Paul Howell but always maintained his innocence and has now filed for clemency. He cites his innocence, inadequate representation and racism as the reasons for requesting commutation, a type of clemency. “I have spent the […]
Posted inNews
Reform justice
Criminal justice reform is a major agenda topic in this year’s legislative session. A myriad of bills that would implement deep changes to the system have been introduced, and though many were left for dead, several still in the process seem likely to pass. Former Republican state Speaker of the House Kris Steele is now […]