Oklahoma

Oklahoma County jail refuses inspection, setting up fight with state Health Department • Oklahoma Voice

Published

2 years ago

July 10, 2024

Oklahoma County jail refuses inspection, setting up fight with state Health Department • Oklahoma Voice

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma County jail has twice refused surprise inspections from the Oklahoma State Department of Health, setting the stage for a potential standoff between the county’s district attorney and the state agency tasked with ensuring county jails are safe.

The decision to block what should be a routine annual inspection has raised concerns among some who said unannounced visits are not unusual and are necessary to ensure inmates are receiving proper care.

County officials first denied entry to an inspector on June 25, saying the jail did not have enough staff to support the inspection, and again Tuesday for the same reason.

Jail officials instead invited the Health Department to conduct the inspection on a predetermined date.

The state Health Department rebuffed that offer in its own letter dated July 1, which Oklahoma Voice obtained with an open records request.

“We will not be deterred from obtaining an accurate understanding of how the facility operates on a day-to-day basis and decline your invitation for a planned and potentially curated inspection,” wrote Health Commissioner Keith Reed.

He wrote that it was concerning that the jail did not have adequate staff for inspections given its history of “noncompliance with basic health, safety, and sanitary standards.”

The agency then attempted a second unannounced inspection Tuesday morning.

In response, the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office sent a letter stating that the agency had “exceeded its lawful authority.”

Aaron Etherington, assistant district attorney, wrote in the letter that the Health Department must submit a 10-day notice prior to any inspections.

The Health Department maintained Wednesday that unannounced inspections are legal and necessary and 10-day notice is not required.

According to Oklahoma law, inspectors employed by the health department are permitted to enter the jail for inspections.

Damion Shade, executive director for Oklahomans For Criminal Justice Reform, said the agency has the right to conduct unannounced inspections.

However, he said there could be legal context the public is unaware of that led the district attorney to support the jail in this case.

Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, said he is a long-time advocate for improving prisons and detention centers around the state. When it comes to surprise inspections, he’s very supportive of them.

“If they know something is coming, they’re gonna do things differently and prepare … If we have random inspections, you’re gonna have to be prepared at all times,” Humphrey said. “Who wouldn’t want that?”

The Oklahoma County jail has been plagued with problems since it opened in 1991. A trust, the Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority, took over administration of the jail in July 2020 but the jail continued to experience above average death rates, poor facilities, overcrowding and understaffing.

“I think there are historical issues that have plagued that jail, really, since its design and inception,” Shade said. “I think it’s unfair to blame them (the trust) for all of those years of lost public trust.”

In 2023, The Oklahoman conducted a lengthy investigation which covered the long history of issues with the jail. Since the trust took over, over 40 people have died in custody, with four people dead this year alone.

A grand jury decided in March 2023 that the trust controlling the jail should be dissolved, returning control to the county sheriff. So far the nine-person trust has opted to continue running the facility.

Shade said that abiding by state laws reflects a commitment to voters and the Oklahomans incarcerated in the jail. He said these unannounced inspections could help to rebuild public trust in the jail.

“If the state Health Department was going to a school and the school said, ‘Hey, we don’t have enough staff to walk you around. We can’t do surprise inspections,’ … I don’t think the public would be satisfied with that type of explanation in the context of a school,” Shade said. “So we certainly shouldn’t be satisfied with that explanation in the context of a jail where we have Oklahoma citizens.”

Back in 2022, unannounced inspections revealed repeated violations of state standards. Shade said such inspections help protect the civil rights of the people in the jail and ensure that they are being properly cared for.

“You (voters) all pay the taxes. You have a right to know what is happening in any space that you are paying for to house Oklahoma citizens. Be that a school, be that a jail or a prison,” Shade said. “Oklahoma voters have a right to know what’s happening.”

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Oklahoma

Bode Sparrow commits Friday: why BYU is Oklahoma’s biggest threat for the Davis star

Published

5 hours ago

June 23, 2026

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Bode Sparrow commits Friday: why BYU is Oklahoma’s biggest threat for the Davis star

Kaysville (Utah) Davis athlete Bode Sparrow cut his list to four back in May and has now locked in his commitment date.

Sparrow is a tremendous player on both sides of the ball and checks in as the No. 77 player nationally in the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services.

He will make his long awaited college choice this Friday, May 25 from a final four of BYU, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah.

In handicapping this race, two schools jump out for us. The first is Oklahoma. I put a commit prediction in for the Sooners back in March and there was some buzz that he could commit around that time.

Sparrow decided to hold off making an early decision in order to take his official visits. Oklahoma was the first visit locked in and for awhile, the only visit that was set, giving even more credence to the Sooners being the team to beat.

“They really believe in me and have a vision for me there,” Sparrow told us after his official visit. “They show me so much love and I have such great relationships with the coaches there.

“I also really like the town of Norman and the plan in place for me from a safety/scheme standpoint. They really have everything I’m looking for in a school. Brent Venables is great, a defensive minded head coach and I just love the all around fit.”

Sparrow followed up his visit to OU with trips to Oregon, Utah and BYU. The Ducks made a big impression and should be considered a dark horse. They are easily one of the toughest schools to recruit against and it would surprise no one if Sparrow ends in Eugene.

Saying that, the school that is gaining a lot of momentum and looks to be Oklahoma’s biggest challenger is BYU. For months we talked to some close to Sparrow, college coaches and trainers who all said the same thing, ‘don’t rule out BYU in the end.’

No one has recruited Sparrow longer than the Cougs. He has been on campus more than any other school, he’s strong in his LDS faith and he has a great connection with the BYU staff including head coach Kalani Sitake.

BYU was able to get the final visit over the weekend and there is some quiet confidence in Provo as well as from a few other recruits/commits who were also on the visit. With the church connection, we’ve long said in a head to head battle, BYU is very tough to beat, especially for an in-state player.

Saying that, there are still Sooner commits we’ve talked to convinced Sparrow is still headed to Norman. That’s why this recruitment has become one of the more fascinating ones to follow this cycle, it’s one of those rare instances where days away from a decision, it could still go in multiple directions.

For now, my commit prediction remains on Oklahoma but BYU is closing fast and this one close to a toss up with a decision quickly approaching.

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Oklahoma

OHP remembers K-9 for protecting countless lives during career

Published

15 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Press Room

OHP remembers K-9 for protecting countless lives during career

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Officials with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are remembering a dedicated K-9 officer who passed away earlier this month.

K-9 Dak was born in 2014 and began serving with the OHP in 2015.

Throughout his distinguished career, officials say Dak’s exceptional instincts made a significant impact on public safety across the state.

During his career, Dak was instrumental in the seizure of over 2,000 pounds of marijuana, 46 pounds of cocaine, 151 pounds of methamphetamine, and 99 pounds of fentanyl.

“These remarkable accomplishments represent countless lives protected and communities made safer through Dak’s service,” OHP wrote.

Dak worked his final shift on June 3 before peacefully passing away from natural causes on June 7.

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“More than his statistics and accomplishments, Dak was a loyal partner, trusted teammate, and beloved member of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. His legacy will live on through the work he accomplished, the bond he shared with his handler, and the many lives he touched throughout his career,” OHP said.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma captures third MCWS title, defeating North Carolina 13-2

Published

1 day ago

June 23, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma captures third MCWS title, defeating North Carolina 13-2

It’s Boomer Sooner time in Omaha.

Oklahoma has won the 2026 Men’s College World Series, steamrolling through North Carolina in the winner-take-all Game 3, 13-2, capturing its first national title in over 30 years and third overall. The Sooners are the seventh straight SEC team to win the national championship.

A dogpile with cheers that made its way through the infiled, it closed out the Sooners’ one-for-the-ages NCAA tournament run.

for the third time in program history, the Oklahoma Sooners are national champions 🏆 pic.twitter.com/xEvjGxhqgM
— Oklahoma Baseball (@OU_Baseball) June 23, 2026
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It was an all-around masterclass for OU, jumping out to a 3-1 lead by the end of the third and never looking back. They put at least one run across the plate in four of the final six innings, including three in the fourth and four in the eighth.

The fourth was where Oklahoma’s upper hand became clear. Walker McDuffie’s three consecutive one-out walks loaded the bases, and UNC turned to star freshman Caden Glauber. The Tar Heels were previously 29-0 with whenever he pitched, but he was pulled after a walk and Jaxon Willits’ two-RBI single.

LJ Mercurius was outstanding on the mound, entering for starter Nick Wesloski in the third and tossing 5.2 innings, giving up just one run on four hits. It was his longest outing since April 17.

Outside of Mercurius, shortstop Jaxon Willits and Kyle Branch starred for the Sooners. The former went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and was named Most Outstanding Player, while Branch also went 3-for-4 with a homer and six RBIs, a career-high. He’s the third player all-time to record six or more RBIs in a national championship game.

The victory caps off OU’s gauntlet-like journey to the top. After finishing 11th in SEC regular season play, they knocked off five national seeds — three in the top five and two on the road — leaning on a trio of freshman arms and a historic power surge at the plate.

Men’s College World Series All-Tournament Team: