News & Commentary
Ending Indefinite Solitary Confinement for the Vast Majority of People with Death Sentences in Oklahoma
By Travis Handler
Latest Event
Write the Row: Holiday Cards Event
Join ACLU of Oklahoma, the Julius Jones Institute, and the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty for an afternoon of community and solidarity! Together, we will be writing holiday cards to the men on death row.
The purpose of the “Write the Row” program is to affirm the humanity of the men on death row and ease their feelings of isolations through letters of encouragement. During this event, we want to ensure that the men and their families feel supported throughout the holiday season.
Letter writing materials and snacks will be provided. Please join us and invite your own friends and families to attend!
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.
FAQ: Oklahoma City's Anti-Panhandling Ordinance
The McCraw case is about protecting the freedom of speech for Oklahomans. In reaction to complaints about the visibility of panhandlers in Oklahoma City, the City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting virtually all activity on medians. It is an affront to free speech rights.
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