Richard Smothermon

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Richard Smothermon
In office
1991–2021

Richard Smothermon is a current Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board member and former District Attorney in Oklahoma.

Career before parole board

Smothermon "of Edmond, served 16 years as district attorney for Pottawatomie and Lincoln counties before being tapped to serve as general counsel for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation." He retired in May 2021.[1] He was the 2010 "incumbent from District 23 that includes Pottawatomie and Lincoln Counties" who faced "a challenge by former district attorney Bill Roberson. Roberson, 66, served as district attorney for District 23 from 1983 until 1991." Smothermon was 44 years old when he sought reelection.[2]

In 2015, Smothermon handled a report from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations "on whether a Shawnee City Commissioner tried to bribe another commissioner."[3] In 2018, Smothermon ruled that a "U.S. Marshal and an Oklahoma drug agent involved in the fatal shooting of a prison escapee were both justified in using deadly force."[4] In 2019, he was involved in the "agreement regarding approximately 20 acres of land known as the Mission Hill property. Pottawatomie County Commissioners conveyed the property to Citizen Potawatomi Nation."[5]

Parole board

In 2021, Richard Smothermon replaced Comanche County Judge Allen McCall on the pardon and parole board. McCall had "been on the Board since 2017, and had been openly oppositional to reform efforts, as well as to former Pardon and Parole Board Director Steve Bickley." McCall, as well as Smothermon, were appointed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court."[6] Smothermon was the sole former-DA on the board until he was later followed by a second former-DA in 2022, Cathy Stocker, appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt.[7] The Governor's choice of another former district attorney came "in an election year as Stitt is being accused in TV attack ads of being soft on crime." The ads "focus on how many prisoners have been released through commutations recommended by the parole board."[8] Lawrence Paul Anderson's commuted sentence, approved by the governor, is one example of a case being used in attacks on the board and governor, but Smothermon "was not on the board when Anderson’s sentence was commuted." The Board took criticisms from current DAs like Steve Kunzweiler, who want the board to be more conservative in their considerations for parole and commutation. In the Tulsa World, DAs were also blamed for taking an increasingly more political role that has "to some degree weakened" the board's influence.[9]

In 2021, Smothermon voted against clemency for Julius Jones.[10] Smothermon's concern focused on a recent “misconduct” violation Jones received while in prison.[11] In 2022, he voted against giving April Wilkens a parole hearing.[12] However, the board recommended the Crossbow Killer, Jimmie Stohler, be granted a full parole recommendation in the same meeting.[13] Smothermon had voted to deny clemency to every death row inmate until August 2022, except for Richard Glossip, where Smothermon recused himself due to his wife being the prosecutor on the case.[14] On August 3, 2022, Smothermon voted for clemency on his first death row inmate for James Coddington.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ "State Pardon and Parole Board member resigns, citing other opportunities". Tulsa World. 2021.
  2. ^ "Half of Oklahoma's district attorney incumbents go unchallenged". The Oklahoman & NewsOK. Archived from the original on April 6, 2022.
  3. ^ "OSBI probes bribery claims against Shawnee city commissioner". The Shawnee News-Star. 2015.
  4. ^ "DA: Fatal shooting of Oklahoma escapee justified". Seattle Times. 2018.
  5. ^ "TRIBE'S 60 YEAR BATTLE OVER MISSION HILL COMES TO A CLOSE". CITIZEN POTAWATOMI NATION. February 4, 2019. Archived from the original on April 6, 2022.
  6. ^ "Allen McCall Resigns from Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board – Replaced with Former DA Richard Smothermon". OK Justice Reform. 2021.
  7. ^ "Stitt Appoints Former District Attorney To State Pardon & Parole Board". News 9.
  8. ^ Clay, Nolan (April 1, 2022). "Former District Attorney Cathy Stocker appointed to Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board". The Oklahoman.
  9. ^ "Stitt expresses confidence in Pardon and Parole Board". Tulsa World. December 5, 2021.
  10. ^ "As members agree on guilt, parole board votes for clemency due to concerns over Oklahoma's death penalty drugs". Public Radio Tulsa. 2021.
  11. ^ "'Doubts': Board recommends Julius Jones be taken off death row". Nondoc. 2021.
  12. ^ "#AprilsStory Why didn't she stay away?". VNN. March 7, 2022.
  13. ^ "Oklahoma Pardon & Parole Board Votes To Recommends Parole For 'Crossbow Killer'". News On 6.
  14. ^ "Clemency hearing postponed for death row inmate almost executed three times". Public Radio Tulsa. 2022.
  15. ^ "With concerns around 'extraordinary' childhood abuse, parole board votes to spare James Coddington". Public Radio Tulsa. 2022.
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