Nearly 2½ years ago, in the 2020 General Election, voters throughout Lincoln and Pottawatomie counties joined other Oklahomans across the state in soundly rejecting State Question 805.
They shelved attempts to reform state sentencing laws.
More than 70 percent of Lincoln County voters opposed SQ 805.
In Pottawatomie County, more than 62 percent voted against SQ 805.
Statewide the vote on SQ 805 was yes 486,569, to 753,898 no.
We think this proposal lacked the broad-based support it needed from law enforcement across the state and voters apparently didn’t trust what they were hearing.
At the same time, it appeared citizens were sending a strong message to law enforcement, the judicial system and state lawmakers.
They support being tough on convicted criminals and favor keeping them behind bars for a long time. Make them serve the prison terms they have been sentenced to and set higher bonds where it holds them in jail while waiting for their day in court.
There have been several instances right here in Lincoln County over the past year where a suspect has been charged with multiple felonies in different cases.
A good example is a defendant charged with first degree murder was charged with five felonies while sitting in the Lincoln County jail.
The five charges include possession of contraband by an inmate in jail, possession of a cell phone by inmate in jail, possession of a dangerous instrument by an inmate in jail, possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute and conspiracy to commit a felony.
He pleaded guilty to those five charges and was sentenced to prison on each count with the terms to run concurrently. He was brought back to the Lincoln County jail earlier this year for a court hearing on the murder charge.
While awaiting his court appearance, he was charged on Feb. 10 with an additional felony of soliciting sexual conduct or communication with a minor by use of technology.
His next court appearance on the latest felony is scheduled for today.
Another Lincoln County case that further illustrates why tougher sentencing laws are needed is where a driver arrested on the Turner Turnpike for two felonies and a misdemeanor has 10 previous felony convictions since 2009 in District Courts around the state.
He recently waived his preliminary hearing on the latest counts.
We have difficulty understanding how this person was not in prison so that he wasn’t on the streets able to be arrested for additional alleged crimes.
These are just a few of the examples we point out to show crimes people are committing appear to be more serious and more numerous.
As we have mentioned, some of these alleged additional felony offenses are occurring while some of these people are out on bond awaiting court appearances on the first crimes that landed them on the wrong side of the law.
This state indeed needs sentencing reform. It really should focus on ways and methods to keep convicted felons in prison longer and make them serve their time.