Oklahoma Department of Corrections

Coronavirus Derails Effort To Shorten Prison Terms In Oklahoma

Organizers have been collecting signatures as part of a ballot initiative known as State Question 805, which calls for the end of sentencing enhancements for people convicted of nonviolent crimes.

Lauren Gill Mar 20, 2020

Yesterday, Oklahoma Saw The Largest Mass Commutation In U.S. History

Sarah Lustbader Nov 05, 2019

Using Nitrogen Gas For Executions Is Untested and Poorly Understood. Three States Plan to Do It Anyway.

Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Alabama have all authorized the practice in capital punishment. So what happens now?

Lauren Gill Oct 25, 2019

A Deadly Father-And-Son Bank Robbery Raises Questions About Culpability and The Adolescent Mind

Christopher Lay grew up under the influence of a father who was mentally ill. Drawn into a crime at age 19, he’s now seeking a second chance that could help other young adults demand the same.

Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Oct 18, 2019

U.S. Prisoners on Death Row Endure Permanent Solitary Confinement Before Execution

With Appeal staff reporter Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg

Adam H. Johnson Oct 03, 2019

Oklahoma Department of Corrections Agrees to Move ‘Qualifying’ Death Row Prisoners Out of Tomblike Unit

Some death row prisoners will be moved to another unit with access to direct sunlight, fenced-in recreation, and contact visits, department says.

Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Sep 28, 2019

Oklahoma’s Death Row Prisoners Are Forced Into Permanent Solitary Confinement. They are ‘Buried Alive,’ Advocates Say.

Civil rights groups demand change as other states move away from the practice of isolating people sentenced to death.

Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Sep 25, 2019

Mother’s Lawsuit Says Oklahoma Prison Failed to Prevent Her Daughter’s Death

New development in a high-profile case comes as advocates question the state’s prison conditions and sentencing practices.

Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg Oct 17, 2018