OKLAHOMA CITY — Newly disclosed records are offering a rare look at how legislative influence can intersect with Oklahoma’s independent agencies after a proposed pay raise for the state’s Pardon and Parole Board died in the House following a dispute over a murderer’s parole request.
According to records obtained and reported by Oklahoma Voice, Rep. Danny Sterling, R-Tecumseh, repeatedly advocated on behalf of inmate Kenny Ray Meyer, who is serving a life sentence for second-degree murder in the 1995 killing of Brenda Sue Sandmann near Wanette.
After the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board unanimously denied Meyer’s parole request in November 2025, Sterling sought additional explanations from agency officials and later questioned board leadership during a public budget hearing.
The matter attracted attention because Sterling chaired the House Appropriations and Budget Judiciary Subcommittee, a panel responsible for overseeing budget matters affecting the agency.
Oklahoma Voice reported that Sterling sent a letter to the board in October 2025 arguing Meyer had no intent to kill and describing the fatal shooting as an accidental discharge of a firearm Meyer believed was unloaded.
During a subsequent House budget hearing, Sterling questioned Pardon and Parole Board Executive Director Kyle Counts about the Meyer case and asked whether board members gave weight to letters submitted by legislators on behalf of inmates.
“I’ll make sure I’m getting a good bang for my buck here as a legislator representing some constituents,” Sterling said during the hearing, according to Oklahoma Voice.
Counts responded that such letters are given significant consideration, though they do not determine outcomes.
Emails later obtained by Oklahoma Voice show Sterling requested a formal explanation for the board’s decision to deny parole.
The disagreement unfolded while lawmakers were considering Senate Bill 1330, legislation that would have increased annual compensation for parole board members from $22,800 to $42,000 and raised the chairman’s salary from $24,800 to $46,000.
Supporters said the increase was needed to improve retention and better reflect the workload associated with reviewing parole, clemency and commutation requests.
The measure passed the Senate unanimously and funding for the raises was included in budget planning.
However, the bill never received a hearing before the full House.
Legislative records cited by Oklahoma Voice show Sterling was among four members who voted against the proposal when it came before the House Appropriations and Budget Committee. The measure subsequently stalled and died before final adjournment.
Sterling did not provide an interview to Oklahoma Voice despite multiple requests for comment.
A House leadership spokesperson told the outlet that House rules did not prohibit Sterling from using legislative resources to advocate on behalf of Meyer.
Former Pardon and Parole Board Executive Director Tom Bates told Oklahoma Voice that lawmakers frequently inquire about individual cases or submit letters supporting inmates.
What stood out in this instance, Bates said, was the request for additional written explanations from the board.
“I can’t recall a legislator ever demanding from the Board a written explanation of the case beyond the information recorded on the ballot,” Bates told the publication.
Parole records cited by Oklahoma Voice show board members denied Meyer’s release because aggravating factors surrounding the crime, including opposition from prosecutors or victims, outweighed factors supporting parole.
The controversy comes as the parole board continues to navigate political scrutiny in several high-profile cases.
The board, which reviews parole requests and makes clemency recommendations to the governor, has previously faced intense public and political pressure in cases involving former death row inmates Julius Jones and Richard Glossip.
In an unusual public statement issued earlier this month, the board emphasized its constitutional obligation to remain free from political influence.
“Oklahoma’s Constitution forbids the Pardon and Parole Board from considering its business in a political context,” the board said.
Not everyone involved in the legislation believes Sterling was solely responsible for the bill’s demise.
Rep. Carl Newton, R-Cherokee, a House author of the measure, told Oklahoma Voice some lawmakers questioned whether raises were justified and expressed concerns about the agency’s responsiveness to legislative inquiries.
Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, the bill’s Senate author, said he had heard there was resistance on the House side but was unaware of specific details.
The proposed raises would have cost the state less than $100,000 annually.
While no direct link has been established between the parole decision and the bill’s failure, the records highlight the significant influence legislative leaders can exercise through committee assignments, budget oversight and control of the legislative process.
For an agency constitutionally designed to keep politics out of parole decisions, the episode has renewed questions about the balance between legislative oversight and agency independence.
Source: Oklahoma Voice
