A Pottawatomie County Sheriff's lieutenant died of a gunshot wound ruled a suicide in April 2023. His daughter disputes that finding, citing journal entries documenting corruption concerns, inconsistencies in the investigation and a ballistics report that was never completed.

The post “Don’t Believe Anything the Sheriff’s Office Tells You”: A Family’s Search for Answers appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

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Duncan police have arrested at least 11 people on drug and other charges following bicycle stops based on a city ordinance superseded by state law in 2021. Oklahoma's Idaho stop law allows cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, but Duncan officers continued making stops under the outdated ordinance for nearly four years.

The post Duncan Bicycle Stops Pit City Ordinances Against State Law appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

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Citing a persistent problem with contraband tobacco, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections started selling e-cigarettes to prisoners this month. Public health experts said the decision could lead to medical costs for taxpayers.

The post Nicotine Products in Oklahoma Prisons Raise Revenue, Public Health Concerns appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

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Oklahoma ranks third nationally in per-capita fatal police encounters, recording 383 deaths over 12 years at a rate of roughly 8 per million residents. A review process built on legal standards focused on in-the-moment reasonableness rarely produces criminal charges, leaving broader questions about training, culture and policy largely unresolved.

The post Oklahoma Ranks Third in Fatal Police Encounters appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

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Proposals to create a bail hearing pilot program and standardize pretrial risk assessments are headed to the Senate floor, though with lingering fiscal questions.

The post After Years of Stalemate, Lawmakers Advance Bail Reform Proposals appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

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More than 30 Oklahoma law enforcement agencies have signed federal agreements deputizing officers as ICE agents. A raid in Oklahoma City's Asian District in January sent shockwaves through the Vietnamese community. Some police chiefs wear masks during operations while activists track and photograph arrests they say target immigrants with legal status.

The post More Than 30 Oklahoma Agencies Sign Immigration Enforcement Agreements appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

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ICE and private prison companies are rapidly expanding Oklahoma's detention infrastructure as federal policy subjects most immigrants to mandatory detention without bond hearings. CoreCivic reopened the Diamondback facility in Watonga under a $100 million contract. Attorneys say ICE transfers detainees between facilities to frustrate legal challenges seeking their release.

The post Inside the ICE Detention System: How Oklahoma Facilities Use Legal Limbo to Pressure Deportations appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

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Oklahoma has become an ICE arrest hub after Gov. Kevin Stitt deputized state agencies and 28 local law enforcement agencies signed federal agreements. A Chinese man with a legal work permit and pending asylum case was arrested by Highway Patrol after calling 911 for help in a rollover accident.

The post Oklahoma Becomes ICE Arrest Hub as Federal Policy Drives Enforcement Explosion appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

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Payne County prosecutors are pursuing a sexual assault case against 18-year-old Canyn Porter differently than they handled Jesse Butler's case last year. Butler received counseling and community service after being certified as a youthful offender. Prosecutors are opposing Porter's request for youthful offender status despite similar charges involving a teenage victim.

The post Second Stillwater Teen Faces Rape Charges as Unequal Treatment Questions Mount appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

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Lawmakers have filed dozens of criminal justice reform measures ahead of the 2026 legislative session, which kicks off Feb. 2.

The post Lawmakers Eye Parole, Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

This article first appeared on Oklahoma Watch and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.