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Oklahoma's Own In Focus: HB 2946 Hopes To Lengthen Time Served For Criminals

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Oklahoma's Own In Focus: HB 2946 Hopes To Lengthen Time Served For Criminals


There’s a bill making its way through the state House that would require anyone convicted of accessory to murder in the first or second degree to serve 85 percent of their prison sentence.

House Bill 2946 is named in honor of 16-year-olds Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman. The pair were kidnapped from a home in Welch, Okla., in December 1999 and presumed killed.

State Rep. Steve Bashore (R-Miami) said he filed the bill because the man who pleaded guilty in their case, Ronnie Busick, was released after only a few years.

Related Story: ‘Let’s Get Something Done’: Senate Bill Filed In Honor Of Missing Welch Girls

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Bashore said, at the very least, the bill would ensure criminals like Busick would have to serve more of their actual time and not earn credits toward an early release.

The family of Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman pushed for the bill.

Lauria and Ashley’s families say Busick’s early release was like a punch to the gut.

Lorene Bible has never given up fighting for her daughter, Lauria.

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“I started talking about her the minute she disappeared, and I’ve not stopped since,” Bible said.

Related Story: Family Furious After Man Convicted In Welch Girls’ Disappearance Gets Early Prison Release

She has no plans of stopping either, even after the only man convicted in her daughter’s case got out of prison early for what corrections officials call ‘good behavior.’

“When we found out that Ronnie Busick was getting released, that brought up another storm,” Bible said.

A storm they’ve lived through for 24 years.

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Lauria was at a sleepover with her friend Ashley in 1999 when the pair were kidnapped. The teens still haven’t been found.

“All that goes through my mind every day, 24 hours a day if she’s alive, is she eating? Is she cold? Is she freezing to death? How is she being treated,” Bible said.

Something else on her mind these days is making a bigger impact – a change to sentencing requirements. That’s what Lauria and Ashley’s Law would do.

Anyone convicted of accessory to murder in the first or second degree would have to serve 85 percent of their sentence. They also wouldn’t be able to earn any type of credit that would reduce their sentence below 85 percent.

Related Story: DA Calls For Change After Man Convicted In Disappearance Of Welch Girls Gets Early Prison Release

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“We’re out to make sure nothing like this can ever happen again to another family because it’s a nightmare,” Bible said.

Now that the bill has made it out of committee, it is ready for consideration by the full House. If passed, it would go into effect on Nov. 1.

Since Oklahoma became a state, there’s been a law in place to give prisoners credits that reduce their sentences, so they rarely serve their sentences in full.

Prisoners get credit for the time they spent in the county jail and once they get to prison, they get credits for taking classes, having a job, maintaining good hygiene, a clean cell and having a good attitude with staff and other prisoners.

Level 1 prisoners get zero credits. That’s people on death row or who have escaped.

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Most everyone starts at Level 2, earning 22 days of credit a month.

Level 3 earns 33 days a month.

Level 4, 44 days each month.

Enhanced Level 3 is 45 days and Enhanced Level 4 is 60 days credit for every 30 served.

So, if you’re on Level 2 and have a 10-year sentence, you’re released after 5.8 years.

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On the advanced level, for a 10-year sentence, you’re out in 3.5 years.

The Department of Corrections does not consider that early release. It considers it time served based on the law.

If a prisoner has infractions or breaks the rules, they can lose credit.

News On 6 did find some instances of light sentences for accessory.

Tyler Reece was charged with accessory to murder in Osage County in 2020 and pleaded guilty to accessory to a felony and was sentenced to one year in the county jail and 10 years of probation.

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Josiah Sklar was convicted of accessory after murder when a woman was beaten to death in Tulsa County in 2013.

He was given two years probation.

News On 6 found other sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years for accessory to murder.

The legislation at the center of our story has a long way to go before it’s law.

It now goes to the full House and if it passes there the legislation heads over to the Senate.

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Lawmakers are in session until May.





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Oklahoma

The Spring adds immersive walkthrough to annual Encounter Hope gala in Sand Springs, Oklahoma

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The Spring adds immersive walkthrough to annual Encounter Hope gala in Sand Springs, Oklahoma


A Tulsa-based nonprofit is adding an immersive, walkthrough experience to its annual fundraising gala, aiming to give attendees a closer look at what survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking face — and how support services can help.

The Spring, which provides services to people impacted by domestic violence and human trafficking, will feature the walkthrough as part of Encounter Hope, its annual gala set for April 9 at the Arvest Convention Center.

The experience is designed to guide guests through the story of an abuse survivor across four stages of interaction with The Spring: the inciting incident, the crisis call, time at the emergency crisis shelter, and moving into safety.

“The idea is really to put you in the shoes of the people that we serve every day,” Allison Wells,

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The Spring’s events and environments coordinator, said. “It’s easy to throw out stats about violence and trafficking in Oklahoma, throw out our service numbers each year, but these are really peoples’ lives. We want to put our attendees in the mindset of one person, one story. What would you do if you were facing this?”

After the walkthrough, attendees will have the opportunity to assemble move-in kits for The Spring’s shelter guests and write personal notes of encouragement.

The program portion of the evening will include a panel discussion hosted by Karen Larsen, an Emmy Award-winning journalist who anchored Tulsa’s Channel 2 for almost 30 years.

“Tulsa is an incredibly charitable city, and we know that these kinds of gala events aren’t rare here,” Leslie Clingenpeel, The Spring’s CEO, said. “Our goal is to go beyond the model of these fundraising-only type events. More than anything, we want people to understand what we do, to know that we’re here, to know what our frontline advocates are doing every single day. Domestic violence and trafficking are hard to look away from once you’re aware of them. We want to build that awareness to the people of this city.”

Individual tickets and table packages are available for purchase.

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Attendees are encouraged to register before April 1 because space is limited.

More details and purchasing information are available at www.thespringok.org/encounterhope.

The Spring is a Tulsa-based nonprofit offering services to those affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking.

The organization provides emergency crisis shelter, transitional living, and non-residential services.

More information is available at www.thespringok.org.

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Oklahoma State outlasts UCF in overtime, Houston next

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Oklahoma State outlasts UCF in overtime, Houston next


ORLANDO, Fla. –

The Oklahoma State Cowboys men’s basketball bounced back in a big way Tuesday night.

Anthony Roy scored 27 points and Kanye Clary added 23, including seven in overtime, as Oklahoma State defeated the UCF Knights men’s basketball 111-104 in Orlando.

The Cowboys controlled the extra period, finishing overtime on an 11-4 run and outscoring UCF 17-10.

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Clary played a major role in closing it out. He hit a key 3-pointer and went 4-for-4 from the free throw line in overtime to help seal the win.

The victory moves Oklahoma State to 18-12 overall and 6-11 in the Big 12, and gives the Cowboys two wins in their last three games after snapping a five-game losing streak. UCF, now 20-9 (9-8 Big 12), has dropped two straight.

Roy and Clary led a balanced offensive effort. Jaylen Curry and Christian Coleman each added 16 points, while the Cowboys shot 49% from the field (35-of-72) and 80% from the free throw line (32-of-40).

Themus Fulks led UCF with 22 points, while Riley Kugel added 18.

Late-game drama forces overtime

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The final seconds of regulation were chaotic.

With 24 seconds remaining, Isaiah Coleman threw down a dunk to give Oklahoma State a 94-91 lead.

But UCF answered quickly when Chris Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left, tying the game at 94-94.

Oklahoma State had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but Jaylen Curry missed a shot, and John Bol blocked Roy’s attempt, sending the game to overtime.

Cowboys respond after tough loss

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The Cowboys showed resilience after Saturday’s lopsided loss to Cincinnati.

The team traveled directly to Orlando following that defeat and was pushed through two intense practices by head coach Steve Lutz and the coaching staff.

The response was clear.

Led by Roy’s scoring and Clary’s clutch overtime performance, Oklahoma State delivered a gritty win and swept the season series against UCF

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Oklahoma City police are investigating after a man was shot near Yukon

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Oklahoma City police are investigating after a man was shot near Yukon


Oklahoma City Police are investigating after a man was shot near Yukon Monday night.

The shooting happened near Northwest 10th Street and South Yukon Parkway near the border of Yukon and Oklahoma City.

Police are on the scene, and officials said the victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the hip.

OKCPD said they have at least one person in custody.

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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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