News & Commentary

At the outset of this legislative session, it felt as if the political moment for criminal justice reform had finally arrived. Representative Scott Biggs, the former waterboy for the District Attorneys lobbying group, had just resigned. His resignation marked the end of his reign as a House Committe

The ACLU of Oklahoma called today upon the Oklahoma Legislature to immediately reject SB 1221 as amended. Originally the bill was written to require training for members of the Pardon and Parole Board, however at the request of the District Attorney’s Council it was amended at the last minute to create a problematic process whereby children can be sentenced to life without parole. The following statement is attributable to ACLU of Oklahoma Executive Director, Ryan Kiesel: “It has been clear for too long that the legislature is playing puppet to the District Attorneys’ puppet master. The District Attorneys Council has used its unchecked power to push back against popular, meaningful reforms and now in a classic bait and switch, the DAC undermined another reform measure through an amendment targeting one of our most at-risk populations: children in the justice system.

Today, members of the Oklahoma Legislature moved forward with their effort to pass watered down criminal justice reform bills that fail to adequately address Oklahoma’s mass incarceration crisis. Despite efforts of legislative leadership to claim any affirmative step toward reform as a victory, these weak bills barely move Oklahoma’s criminal justice system beyond the abysmal status quo.

The ACLU of Oklahoma has received reports from education advocates at the Capitol of instances in which people have been denied access to public hallways outside legislative offices. To be absolutely clear, this is unconstitutional and we have demanded that such orders be immediately rescinded.

The ACLU of Oklahoma’s Campaign for Smart Justice released an Oklahoma public opinion poll of voters’ views of the role of prosecutors. The new data shows overwhelming support for prosecutorial reform and that voters will take their reform-minded positions to the ballot box with them this June and November.The poll, conducted by EMC Research, between February 13 and 18, included 500 telephone interviews Oklahomans likely to vote in November 2018. Fifty-four percent of participants identified as Republican, 40 percent as Democrat, and 6 percent as Independent.

Legal Observers have been present at the Capitol since the first day of this walkout and have witnessed nothing inside or outside the building that constitutes a threat. In fact, the only thing our observers have witnessed are educators, public employees, and their supporters peacefully petitioning

In the time since a moratorium was placed on executions, the State has done absolutely nothing to inspire confidence that they are now able to successfully exercise the ultimate power of any government. Instead, in this time Oklahoma’s leaders have demonstrated new levels of incompetence.

OKLAHOMA CITY –  As the Oklahoma Senate considers hearing SB 197,  a bill from last session that would have far reaching and long lasting consequences by empowering discrimination, the ACLU of Oklahoma and Freedom Oklahoma issued the following statements:  The following can be attributed to Freedom Oklahoma Executive Director, Troy Stevenson: