Mother, family reunited after 15 years
McLOUD — After 15 years, Tondalao Hall walked out of prison and into her children's arms Friday.
Gov. Kevin Stitt commuted her 30-year prison sentence during a week that has been filled with second chances for hundreds of people involved in Oklahoma's criminal justice system.
Hall had been serving time for failing to protect her children from their abusive father. Their father, who admitted to breaking the leg, ribs and toe of their daughter when she was 3 months old, served just two years in jail and was released.
The stark contrast of their punishments drew outrage from advocates.
Under Oklahoma's so-called "failure-to-protect" laws, enabling child abuse is a felony that can carry the same punishments as child abuse — up to life in prison.
Critics of the law say it unfairly punishes domestic violence victims, like Hall, who sometimes are afraid or unable to seek help. In some cases, people who committed no abuse and were victims of abuse themselves do more time behind bars than the actual abusers.
Hall s ought commutation twice in the past and was denied. Last month, on her third attempt, with a mostly new Pardon and Parole Board since the last time she was denied, she received a unanimous recommendation from the board.
The governor signed Hall's commutation Thursday. Hall said Friday she was shocked, thankful and appreciative that she could be with her family.
"I' m blessed ," she said while walking away from the prison, surrounded by family, her attorney from the AmericanCivil Liberties Union of Oklahoma, other supporters and a swarm of media.
As she exited Mabel Bassett Correctional Center wearing a shiny silver coat on Friday morning, two gates were all that separated her from her family and her freedom on the other side. As they smiled at each other through the metal fencing, waiting for the second gate to open, Hall was already wiping away tears.
When the gate opened, Hall's 16-year-old son, Robert, who was 1 8 months old when his mom was locked up, stepped forward to embrace her. They held each other tight, rocking back and forth for close to 20 seconds. Then her 15-year-old daughter, Ukiah, who was 4 months old when Hall was locked up, stepped in for a long embrace.
Clutching tissue in her right hand, Hall made her way around the cluster of family who huddled outside the prison gate, smiling and crying as she hugged each of them. She ended at her cousin, Cynthia Wells, who raised Hall's children while Hall was incarcerated.
Wells said afterward it's the first of many more hugs to come.
"We're just happy," she said. All three of Hall's children wrote letters to the Pardon and Parole Board advocating for her release. While she was incarcerated, Hall called and wrote letters and fought the entire time to make sure her kids knew that she loved them and cared for them, Wells said.
"Sometimes we couldn't keep up with opening one letter before there was another one coming," she said. "She made sure that they knew that she was there and she loved them."
Now, after missing birthdays and holidays and other occasions during the past 15 years, Hall will be able to spend Christmas with her family, attend her son's basketball games and watch her daughter cheer.
Robert Hall was passing between classes at school Thursday when he learned his mom would be released the next day.
"I was in shock," he said. "My jaw dropped. It was the best feeling."
Ukiah Hall said she wasn't sure she would be able to sleep Thursday night after learning the news. Friday she said she was looking forward to making up for the years they missed together.
"I'm just excited and a little overwhelmed," she said. "I've been waiting, so I'm just happy that this day finally came."
Before they left the prison grounds, Hall and her children released a cluster of pink heart- shaped and purple star-shaped balloons into the cloud-blanketed sky. Nearby, women in orange prison outfits lined the prison fence, cheering and waving to Hall and her family.
"I love you!" Hall called out to them, waving and blowing kisses before she climbed into the car to leave.