More Questions Against P&P Board After Inmate's Parole Withdrawn

More questions are being raised against the Oklahoma Board of Pardon & Parole, this as an inmate approved for parole and work release, is suddenly placed on lockdown and suspiciously recommended for a transfer back to prison.

Thursday, August 30th 2012, 7:28 pm

By: News 9


More questions are being raised against the Oklahoma Board of Pardon and Parole, this as an inmate approved for parole and work release, is suddenly placed on lockdown and suspiciously recommended for a transfer back to prison.

News 9 first brought you the story of Patricia Spottedcrow three weeks ago. Spottedcrow says she doesn't understand why her case is being affected, especially since the Governor and the Pardon and Parole board have placed a moratorium on her case along with 50 others.

She is just anxious to get back home to her four children, but has no idea when that will happen.

"I mean nothing about my case has been secret," said Spottedcrow, in her first interview with News 9. "The day I hit the yard, it's been on the news since."

8/14/2012 Related Story: Oklahoma DA Faces Off With Pardon And Parole Board

Spottedcrow met with News 9 inside Hillside Correctional Center, just 48 hours after being yanked from one prison to another.

"It is just really, really stressful, hard to deal with you know." said Spottedcrow. "I'm so close and to have it just be taken away."

Spottedcrow was arrested back in 2009 for selling a $31 bag of pot to a police informant. She entered a blind plea and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. A judge later reduced her sentence to eight years, and this year both the Pardon and Parole board and the Governor granted her parole. But then something happened.

"Friday they called me down here and said that my parole was withdrawn," Spottedcrow said.

Spottedcrow says she was told she had become a security risk and was put in lock, or isolation, for the weekend. Then on Tuesday she was sent from Hillside to another prison, only to be turned around and brought back. Why, she doesn't know.

8/8/2012 Related Story: Former DOC Board Member 'Not Surprised' By Prater Allegations

Spottedcrow is one of the 51 inmates whose early release consideration is being questioned, after Oklahoma County District attorney David Prater sent a letter to the board's executive director, accusing them of violating the open meetings act.

"I know that I committed a crime and I'm sorry for that and I'm doing my time," said the anxious mother of four. "I got blessed to go in front of the parole board early to go up for parole, I made parole, I'm here doing my stint and I just want to go home."

Even her attorney is baffled by what's happened.

"Whether it was a mistake or intentional I don't know," said attorney Laura Deskin. "But this is a real mess and it needs to not happen again."

8/8/2012 Related Story: Oklahoma County D.A. Accuses Parole Board Of Operating ‘Secret' Docket For Inmates

The Pardon and Parole Board issued this statement Thursday afternoon about Spottedcrow's case, calling it an "administrative error" and says Ms. Spottedcrow's status has not changed since the moratorium was issued.

According to Aaron Cooper, press secretary for Gov. Fallin, the governor asked for a moratorium on early release cases out of an abundance of caution. Cooper states the implementation of the moratorium was left up to the Pardon and Parole Board, who determined the parameters of the

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