If you're arrested for a felony in Oklahoma, your DNA will now be taken. Simple as that! Although I'm not a fan of the government having more information on us, I know that the collection of DNA in this manner has exonerated many people who have been wrongly convicted. So, I hope this law helps more people than it harms by the intrusion into our liberty. The enacted … [Read more...] about New Oklahoma laws in 2016 Part VII – Collection of DNA for felony arrests
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New Oklahoma laws in 2016 Part V – Threshold for property crimes to be charged as a felony raised to $1,000
HB 2751 raises the threshold for property crimes to be charged as a felony to $1,000. It includes charges for the following theft crimes: embezzlement, bogus check, taking by false pretenses, receiving or concealing stolen property, forged or counterfeited instrument, larceny, and shoplifting (third and subsequent offense). Grand larceny will be defined as the unlawful … [Read more...] about New Oklahoma laws in 2016 Part V – Threshold for property crimes to be charged as a felony raised to $1,000
New Oklahoma laws in 2016 Part II – Discretion to file misdemeanor charges under certain circumstances
HB 2472 gives prosecutors discretion to file charges for non-85% crimes as misdemeanors instead of felonies. Eighty-five percent crimes are considered to be particularly bad crimes. They include murder, first-degree rape, and child molestation. They are found in 21 OS 13.1: http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=104306. So, this new law means that … [Read more...] about New Oklahoma laws in 2016 Part II – Discretion to file misdemeanor charges under certain circumstances