The governor’s FY 2021 executive budget is attached below. Gov. Kevin Stitt kicked off the 2020 legislative session last week by delivering his second State of the State address, discussing education, health care, the disagreement with tribes on casino gambling and criminal justice reform. “Let me get right to the point. The state of our […]
pardon and parole board
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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 […]
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Retroactive law
Nearly a thousand Oklahomans will be released from prison early — potentially in time for the holidays. Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law that makes State Question 780, which reclassified simple drug possessions from felonies to misdemeanors, retroactive. Department of Corrections (DOC) must provide a list of eligible inmates to the Pardon and […]
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Chicken-Fried News: Justice two-step
During the same Legislative session that Oklahoma made advancements on criminal justice reform to reduce the state’s overcrowded prisons; it took another step backwards. Gov. Mary Fallin signed seven criminal justice reform bills — many of which reduced sentences for nonviolent offenders and those convicted of drug possession — in April. Voters asked for many […]
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Prater files charges against the state’s Pardon and Parole Board
Prater announced the filings late today.?? “Every effort was made by me to resolve this matter in a fair and equitable manner before the filing of the criminal information,” he said in a written statement.?? He also indicated the board members were offered an opportunity to step down two at a time to allow the […]