Oklahoma inmate one step closer to justice

After 21 years of incarceration for possession of a single ounce of cocaine, Larry Yarbrough's life is, quite literally, in the hands of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board. 

On March 18th, Governor Mary Fallin signed off on a recommendation to commute Yarbrough's Life Without Parole sentence to Life With the Possibility of Parole, clearing the way for the Board to grant Larry his freedom. In 2011, Fallin denied a Parole Board recommendation to commute Yarbrough's sentence to time served.

But with Larry's health rapidly deteriorating, reuniting Larry with his wife, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren is now a race against time. Larry appeared by video at the February Parole Board hearing confined to a wheelchair, and is suffering from congestive heart failure. 

Larry's attorneys, Debbie Hampton and Tommy Adler, will file for Larry to appear in front of the Board in either April or May, and with a time served recommendation; he will be free to live out the remainder of his life with his family. 

To say that Larry has paid his debt to society would be a gross understatement. Since his 1994 arrest in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, Larry has maintained his innocence. Kingfisher County Sheriff Danny Graham was exposed as a racist during the trial, and was seen by several witnesses carrying a brown paper sack into Larry's house after two drug dogs and a dozen law enforcement officers had come up dry during an all day search. Ten minutes later, the bag was found in the front room, containing a Barbie thermos filled with an ounce of cocaine. 

The trial was even worse, marred by jury tampering, collusion, destruction of evidence, and blatant nepotism. On February 27th, 1997, Judge Susie Pritchett, who would later gain national media attention for sentencing Patricia Spottedcrow to 20 years for $30 worth of marijuana, sentenced Larry Yarbrough to Life Without Parole. 

Larry Yarbrough has received national media attention, and his story is featured in the upcoming documentary Voices in a Jailhouse, due to be released this year. At least three jurors in the trial expressed regret at the harsh sentence. One juror, Dennis Will, has lobbied for Larry's release for decades. Family and supporters aren't celebrating yet. Will said on Tuesday, "I'll believe it when Larry walks out of prison a free man."

Oklahoma has over 50 inmates serving Life Without Parole for nonviolent drug offenses, costing taxpayers over a million dollars per inmate. With mounting medical costs, Larry's incarceration could end up in the millions.

Two days after Fallin signed off on Larry's commutation, another Oklahoman was sentenced to Life Without Parole. In stark contrast to Larry's harsh sentence for possession of cocaine, Alan Hruby murdered both his parents and his 17-year-old sister.

Life Without Parole is a sentence that should be reserved for only our most dangerous criminals, not low-level drug offenders. The Parole Board has the opportunity to free Larry Yarbrough, and begin the slow but necessary moral process of releasing all those who are serving grossly excessive sentences for non-violent offenses.

The Gayly - 3/23/2016 @ 1:53 p.m. CST