Brianna Bailey

The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board unanimously voted to reduce Tony Mann’s life-without-parole sentence after his younger brother — now free — told members Mann didn’t participate in the murder that sent them both to prison.

Plaintiffs claim the state agency has provided false information about progress on promised reforms, leaving people with severe mental illness languishing in jails for months without treatment.

Independent consultants cite delays and poor communication from the Department of Mental Health as people with serious mental illness wait in jail for treatment.

A judge is fining the state for failing to treat mentally ill defendants stuck in county jails. With a court-ordered deadline approaching, public defenders and advocates say the system remains overwhelmed, underfunded and unresponsive.

TK Health told county officials the company would exit the jail at the end of June, but gave no reason. There has been a history of complaints about access to medical care at the facility.

Wayne Thompson was convicted for a crime he committed when he was 15 years old. His family has been trying to win his release ever since.

Some jails in the state have faced ongoing issues with detainee deaths and poor inspection results. State inspectors ruled most county jails didn’t comply with the standards in 2024.

One judge told Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office officials that there were “serious constitutional concerns” about conditions at the jail including lack of access to attorneys, health care and clean clothing.

Lawmakers have introduced two bills this year to limit or outlaw marriage for minors. Previous efforts to pass laws that would keep young pregnant mothers from marrying have failed.

A growing number of women have faced criminal charges in Oklahoma after using drugs during their pregnancies in recent years. But an appeals court ruled expectant mothers who used medical marijuana can’t be prosecuted.