News & Commentary
Ending Indefinite Solitary Confinement for the Vast Majority of People with Death Sentences in Oklahoma
By Travis Handler
Latest Event
OKC Pride Parade 2026
We are ecstatic to have you join us, as we walk in the annual Oklahoma City Pride Parade on Sunday, June 28th. As you probably know, the work of the ACLU is now more critical than ever, and we want this year's parade group to be the biggest yet!
Please complete the following registration form and we will be in contact with further details.
The first 80 people to register are guaranteed to receive a free limited-edition ACLU of Oklahoma t-shirt. We do not have a max on how many people can walk with us, but we cannot guarantee t-shirts will be available.
**Please submit one registration entry for every person (children too) that will be walking with us, so that we can have an accurate count for t-shirts and water.**
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Carly Heitland at cheitland@acluok.org.
5 Years of Marriage Equality in Oklahoma
Sunday, October 6th, marked the five year anniversary of marriage equality in Oklahoma. After a decade of litigation, Bishop v. United States, the landmark civil rights case that overturned Oklahoma’s discriminatory ban on same-sex marriage, finally made its way through the appeals process...
We Created the Current Prison Lockdown
Last weekend, violence at 6 Oklahoma facilities led to 36 people being injured so badly they had to be transported away from prison for treatment, and the death of a 27-year-old man.
By
The Real Death Row
As a former capital defense attorney, I visited Oklahoma death row - and death row prisoners - for 25 years. That inside view taught me two things that, at first, surprised me.
Bail Reform Talking Points and FAQs
Money bail is supposed to be used as a mechanism to ensure someone’s reappearance in court.
ACLU of Oklahoma Selects National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, Freedom Oklahoma’s Allie Shinn, and Nancy McDonald to Receive 2019 Civil Liberties Awards
The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma has announced its 2019 award winners, which include the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) and Allie Shinn, Executive Director of Freedom Oklahoma, as recipients of the Angie Debo Award. This award is given in recognition and celebration of the courage and tenacity displayed by these groups and individuals in the pursuit of civil liberties.
Statements from the ACLU of Oklahoma on the Passage of Senate Bill 614
SB 614 is based on unproven, unethical research that seeks to undermine a medical procedure at the expense of a person’s safety and medical rights. The ACLU has fought nearly identical legislation to this bill in a number of states.
ACLU of Oklahoma Responds to Senate Bill 711 that Dangerously Expands Definition of Criminal Street Gangs
Senate Bill 711 is a dangerous and laughable effort to increase prosecutorial leverage against the accused while fueling Oklahoma’s mass incarceration crisis and adding to the racial disparities that exist in Oklahoma’s criminal justice system.
Statements from ACLU of Oklahoma in Response to Crises at County Jails in Oklahoma
News stories coming out of several Oklahoma county jails are just a snapshot of the issues we know take place within our criminal justice system. The ACLU applauds Nowata County Sheriff Terry Sue Barnett’s refusal to reopen Nowata County Jail amid condition concerns for staff and detained people.
ACLU of Oklahoma Releases Polling Results Showing Strong Support for Meaningful Criminal Justice Reform Among Likely 2020 Voters
The ACLU of Oklahoma’s Campaign for Smart Justice released key findings of a survey completed by EMC Research of likely voters in 2020 that demonstrates support for criminal justice reform remains high across the state, no matter political affiliation.
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