McALESTER, Oklahoma -
A man released early from
prison is waiting to see what the governor and the Board of Pardon and Parole
decides on his case, this after Oklahoma County DA David Prater called into question
his case, along with the cases of 50 other inmates.
Walter Lee Hill Jr. was
released in June, after both the board and the governor granted him an early
release. He was stunned and grateful for the second chance. Now he wonders if
it will be ripped away.
"I'm not afraid of
anything because God says do not fear," said Hill.
Hill spent seven and a half
years in prison after he was convicted of breaking into a woman's home and
stealing from her while she was inside.
"When the officer came in
I was at the front door with my hands up," Hill recalled.
Hill admits drugs led him
to make certain mistakes in his past, but says he's done his time and turned
his life around.
"If I could go back one
day and just apologize to her, [I] regret what happened that day," Hill said.
Now he and his family wait
to see if the firestorm surrounding the letter from Prater to the Board of
Pardon and Parole about them possibly violating the Open Meetings Act will
affect his case. The DA has asked for Hill's and 50 other inmates early release
considerations to be made invalid.
"I do have that fear that
2 o'clock in the morning I'm going to get the knock on the door ‘We're here to
revoke your freedom,'" said Hill. "The district attorney's opinion is his
opinion, but like I say my actions that I've shown since I've been out hopefully
and truly this will be taken into consideration."
News 9 has also learned the
objection letter was left out of Hill's case file when it went to the governor.
It was written by the DA's office back in February to the Board of Pardon and Parole
objecting to any sentence modification or commutation.
So while Hill goes about
his business, working a new job as a truck driver and trying to be a productive
member of society, he waits and he prays.
So far the Department of Corrections
has taken no action on Hill's case or any of the other 50 inmates.
Both the governor and the Board
of Pardon and Parole have asked for the Attorney General's office to make a
ruling on the case.
The board issued a
statement saying they were within their constitutional authority to commute
certain prison sentences.
Walter Lee Hill Jr. was released in June, after both the board and the governor granted him an early release
