Oklahoma lawmakers have filed more than 3,200 pieces of legislation for the upcoming session that begins next Monday, Feb. 3.
We’re not sure yet what all they entail, but an issue which needs addressing is prison reform. The focus of that should be keeping many of the convicted felons in jail for a much longer period of time than they are now.
Local and area law enforcement officers and prosecutors seem pretty good about catching the bad guys, putting them in the slammer and prosecuting them. Local and area judges likewise are good about doing their part when the cases are solid.
The juries lately have been consistent about when finding a defendant guilty of recommending punishment appropriate with severe crimes.
A Chandler man was convicted in 2024 by a Lincoln County jury of four sex crimes against a minor. The jury recommended 2 life terms and two more terms of not less than 25 years each. At sentencing, the judge followed all of the jury’s recommendations.
Lincoln and Pottawatomie Counties District Attorney Adam Panter points to a couple of recent convictions and recommendations from juries where sentencing is still pending but illustrates the point we’re trying to make.
“Linny Stallin is a violent criminal who will no longer be able to victimize the citizens of this State any longer. I anticipate that he will spend the rest of his life behind bars. His criminal history is lengthy, stretching back more than 30 years. His last convictions were also for robberies which occurred in Shawnee and Okemah in 2013. In those cases, he was given 20year sentences, which he should have still been serving at the time he committed these new offenses.
“Stallin’s violent behavior has no place in our society, and persons thinking about committing similar offenses should take note that we will show no mercy for these kinds of acts. My office is committed to the public’s safety. I appreciate all of the hard work of the Shawnee Police Department in their efforts to solve these crimes, and the diligence of the jury in performing their civic duty,” Panter noted.
“I would further add that while we were able to obtain justice for the victims of Mr. Stallin, I am disappointed that Stallin was out of prison in the first place. His crimes were completely avoidable.”
Matthew Ewing was facing trial on multiple allegations of sexually abusing several children filed on Jan. 25, 2024. Specifically, he was facing two counts of Rape in the First Degree, two counts of Forcible Oral Sodomy, and four counts of Lewd or Indecent Acts to a Child Under 16. The jury returned guilty verdicts on five of the eight counts. On the five guilty counts, the jury recommended three sentences of Life in prison and two sentences of 20 years in prison.
“I will say that I am beyond proud and grateful for the courage displayed by the children when testifying against their abuser. I believe that people who hurt, exploit, or abuse children are irredeemable, and not deserving of anything but the harshest punishment. Therefore, I am encouraged that the jury recognized the severity of Mr. Ewing’s crimes and recommended a just result, ensuring that Ewing never tastes freedom again.”
These are two examples of where the previously convicted felons should never have been out of prison to prey on society as they did.
Legislators need to ensure this ceases to further happen by creating laws that safeguard convicted criminals from seeing the light of day.