News & Commentary
Ending Indefinite Solitary Confinement for the Vast Majority of People with Death Sentences in Oklahoma
By Travis Handler
Latest Event
Not in My Name Coalition Meeting
Every Oklahoman must ask themselves not whether they support the death penalty, but rather: Do I trust the government with the power to kill its citizens—especially after catastrophic failures in the recent past?
Oklahoma's criminal legal system has failed to protect the innocent, those with serious mental health conditions, and individuals who have suffered adverse childhoods from execution. We cannot allow this to continue! Capital Punishment is racist, arbitrary, costly, and error-prone. It is time to end the death penalty once and for all.
The mission of the Not in My Name Coalition is to raise awareness, educate, and mobilize individuals and groups to take a stand against the use of capital punishment in the state of Oklahoma. Through our efforts, we strive to foster a culture of empathy by validating the humanity of people incarcerated on death row and advocating for their fundamental rights. Together, we declare, Not in My Name: we stand against the ultimate and irreversible act of state-sanctioned violence. Join the fight to end the death penalty in Oklahoma by becoming part of the Not in My Name Coalition. As a member, you will be informed of local events and rallies, gain a space to organize, and join a network of dedicated individuals who are committed to the work alongside you. Sign up now!
December 12 Hearing is Only the Beginning for Tondalao Hall’s Case
On December 12, Oklahoma mother of three, Tondalao Hall, with her ACLU attorneys, will take a crucial step in the long and tedious process to challenge her excessive sentence and to free her from Mabel Bassett Correctional Center.
Oklahomans with Disabilities Deserve Certainty
Imagine you’ve lived in the same home for your entire adult life, when suddenly, the government threatens your very existence, solely because state legislators cannot agree on a budget.
ACLU of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Disability Law Center, file Legal Action Against State Officials over Termination of Disability Services
On October 31, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services notified the over 20,000 recipients of Advantage and In-Home Supports Waivers for Adults that their benefits would be terminated on December 1, 2017. Regardless of potential action from the Governor’s office today...
New City Ordinance Will Not Reconcile Panhandling Restriction with Constitutions
OKLAHOMA CITY–The City Council of Oklahoma City approved this morning an amendment to the City’s previously adopted anti-panhandling ordinance, restricting the ability of citizens to sit, stand, or stay on public medians. The amendment changes which medians are affected by the ordinance but continues to restrict access to large numbers of public medians in Oklahoma City. In response, the ACLU of Oklahoma released the following statement:
ACLU of Oklahoma Sues Over Forced Labor, Human Trafficking in Court-Mandated “Rehab” Program
TAHLEQUAH, OK– The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma filed suit today against the Drug and Alcohol Recovery Program (D.A.R.P., Inc. or D.A.R.P.) for a number of egregious abuses, including human trafficking and labor violations. The suit, filed on behalf of past participants at the Drug and Alcohol Recovery Program facilities in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and Decatur, Arkansas, alleges the organization has been running an unpaid labor camp disguised as a rehabilitation center for the last decade.
Sessions Hopes to Undermine Criminal Justice Reform in Visit to Oklahoma
Backward-thinking Oklahoma sheriffs, prosecutors and legislators are bringing in outside help in their bid to undermine criminal justice reform overwhelmingly supported by Oklahoma voters and a large, diverse, nonpartisan coalition of Oklahomans that continues to grow.
Oklahoma City schools named for Confederate generals should be changed without delay
Monuments are being removed across the nation. These confederate monuments, symbols, and representatives started rooting up in the Jim Crow era as a threat to Black Americans and for the expansion of white supremacy ideology and its vestiges of white supremacy and nationalism.
UPDATED: ACLU Responds to Broken Police Culture that Resulted in Killing of Magdiel Sanchez
“We are incredibly saddened and disturbed by the news that an Oklahoma City police officer shot and killed Magdiel Sanchez, a deaf man confronted on his own porch. Police have an obligation under the Americans with Disabilities Act to provide reasonable modifications in their interactions with...
ACLU of Oklahoma Calls for End to Religious Proselytizing by Oklahoma Police Department
“Both the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and provisions of the Oklahoma Constitution protect against government officials establishing a state religion. The exclusive, pervasive promotion of the Christian faith by the Mounds Police Department represents a clear violation...
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