DA accuses 2 parole board members of bias
Citing bias, an Oklahoma district attorney has requested two members of t he state's Pardon and Parole Board no longer be allowed to hear cases litigated in Payne and Logan counties.
In a news release Monday, District Attorney Laura Austin Thomas announced she had sent the request to the board asking for members Kelly Doyle and Adam Luck to be excluded from hearing cases originating in her district.
Doyle is the deputy director of the Center for Employment Opportunities, which helps those recently released from c or recti on al facilities find employment.
Luck serve son the organization's board of directors and is also the director at City Care, a homeless services provider in Oklahoma City.
Thomas said because the organization works with those who have recently been released or put on parole, Doyle and Luck “cannot be expected to impartial ly consider parole and commutation requests.”
“The board is supposed to be neutral ,” Thomas stated in the news release. “Victims and others who are protesting early release can't help but doubt whether these two board members will fairly consider their arguments.”
Doyle and Luck were both appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt to serve on the board last year.
“The conflict of interest is clear and concerning,” Thomas said.
Doyle and Luck could not be reached for comment. The board held day long meetings this week to discuss inmates requesting parole.
Thomas has objected to multiple cases being considered for parole by the board.
Cases reviewed by the board have dramatically increased in recent years.
On Monday, board Director Steven Bickley said the board has reviewed more cases during the first four months of 2020 than during the entire year of 2018.