New bill to be proposed next year for stricter sentencing for Oklahoma criminals

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — It is now a site of solitude and reflection, but the purple flags are a reminder and an outline of the scene of a crime.

“There used to be a trailer on this place and that’s where the girls were held,” said Lorene Bible, mother of Lauria Bible, who was found murdered in December 1999.

And now that one of the men responsible, Ronnie Busick, is about to be set free, Bible is turning her outrage into action.

“Only thing we can do now is change the law,” she said.

“We’re looking at introducing a bill next year, unfortunately, we missed the deadline this year for this legislative session,” said Rep. Steve Bashore.

Bashore represents the district where the crime happened and was just as stunned as Bible that Busick is about to be a free man.

“We’ve got to put victims first,” he said. “It seems like the ones committing the crimes are the ones that are, their rights are asserted, but what about the people this is impacting? What about their families and their friends and the community members, and releasing these types of people back in the community? It’s not good for anyone.”

So what kind of change to the law would Bible like to make?

“Let’s do a law that accessory to murder carries the same charge as murder,” she said.

“Anyone convicted of accessory to murder must serve at minimum 85% of their sentence imposed,” said Bashore.

And today, Craig County District Attorney Matt Ballard add that “Busick admitted he was an accessory to violent felonies. This is precisely why accessory should be an 85% crime, because there is no other way to guarantee a victim, even a close estimate, of how much time in prison to expect. It’s incalculable because so many factors and variables weigh into how [Department of Corrections] does the math to decide when a sentence is served fully.”

“The criminal justice system in our state is, something’s wrong,” said Bashore.

A swift response and push for change to a tragedy with still no resolution after more than 20 years.

“I don’t want another family to have to deal with, behind bars and then, whoops, he’s going to get out,” said Bible.