Oklahoma officials say that using inhalation of nitrogen to carry out the death penalty will be safe and humane. But uncertainty surrounds the process, including how it will force inmates to inhale the gas and what will happen if they resist.
After Prison, Many Oklahomans Are Banned from Voting for Years
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Tens of thousands of Oklahomans who have been convicted of felonies are unable to vote until their time in prison and on probation and parole has been completed. That often means they wait for years, even more than a decade, before they can cast a ballot. Some states are easing restrictions.
How Long a Jail Stay Lasts for Low-Level Charges Depends on the County
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How long people stay in Oklahoma county jails on misdemeanor charges varies across the state, newly obtained data shows. In some counties, pretrial release programs allow defendants to get out immediately without having to post bail. In other counties, low-level defendants can remain locked up for days or weeks, creating job or family problems.
Juvenile Sentencing Bill, Pushed by Lawmaker’s Daughter, Is Nixed
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The daughter of a state House leader who pushed a bill to protect the right to sentence juveniles to life without parole is a district attorney who seeks such a sentence in a Custer County case. The bill, however, was killed by an appeals court ruling and a requested veto.
Study Finds Justice Reform Bills Would Bring 14% Prison Growth. Is That a Success?
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Reworked criminal justice reform bills fall short of what a blue-ribbon panel recommended was needed to curb incarceration rates and provide alternatives to prison. But advocates and district attorneys favor the legislation, some of which passed the Senate and some of which passed the House Tuesday.
Racial Profiling Complaints Persist, But Few or None Confirmed by Authorities
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Stories of being pulled over for no reason are common in minority communities, raising questions about the fairness of allowing law enforcement agencies to investigate racial profiling complaints against their own officers.
With Nitrogen Executions, State Enters Uncharted Territory
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If Oklahoma succeeds in using nitrogen gas to execute death-row inmates, it will become the first in the nation to do so. But the plan, called experimental by critics, raises many questions and will almost certainly encounter legal challenges.
A Scorecard for Criminal Justice Reform
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About a dozen new and holdover bills that would overhaul Oklahoma’s criminal justice system are in the legislative pipeline. Here’s a scorecard to keep track of what happens to the proposals.
Only a Handful of Prison Inmates Get Treatment for Deadly Disease
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Inmates in Oklahoma prisons must have advanced liver disease before becoming eligible for treatment that cures hepatitis C, a potentially deadly and growing disease. Since July 1, only five inmates have been given the drug treatment.
One in Eight Inmates Serving Life or Lengthy Sentence
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Oklahoma has one in eight inmates who are serving a life sentence or a sentence of at least 50 years, a new report shows.
Incarceration Numbers Stay Relatively Flat Despite Justice System Reforms
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The number of people sentenced to Oklahoma prisons in 2017 fell slightly, but the state remains second in the nation in overall incarceration and could be ranked first by the end of this year.