OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board is in disarray.
A business meeting on Monday revealed a host of problems, including an embattled executive director who has taken several days off and a chairman who is out because of a medical situation.
In addition, various entities, including prosecutors and criminal justice reform advocates, are calling for the recusal and/or resignation of some board members.
The Pardon and Parole Board on Monday declined to give Executive Director Steven Bickley his requested extended leave of absence.
Bickley currently has taken several days off after member Allen McCall sent him an email accusing him of injecting anti-death penalty opinions on the board.
McCall, a retired judge appointed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, told Bickley in the email, “Shame on you for the underhanded and deceitful way you have used your position to impose your personal beliefs on your staff and our Board.”
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McCall in the email said he would move for Bickley’s termination and ask to appear before the state’s multicounty grand jury to present evidence of multiple violations of law by Bickley and others.
The Frontier, an online publication, first published the emails.
Bickley was tapped in July 2019 to head the agency. He had served as an executive for the Museum of the Bible and is a former telecommunications executive.
Kelly Doyle, a board member appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt, said Bickley had sought to use 100% of the 140 comp hours and 100 vacation hours he had accrued.
Doyle and Vice Chairman Adam Luck, also a Stitt appointee, voted to grant the leave, while McCall and member Larry Morris, appointed by the Court of Criminal Appeals, voted against it.
“There is too much going on to have a chairman and executive director out and we are being attacked by both sides at this point,” Morris said. “I think we need all hands on deck. My vote is no.”
Chairman Robert Gilliland was absent due to a medical situation and was counted as a no vote.
The board discussed revisiting that matter and other issues in executive session when Gilliland was present.
Doyle said the “elephant in the room” needed to be acknowledged in that Bickley felt he had been mistreated by a board member and doesn’t feel comfortable.
“I can understand where he is coming from,” Doyle said. “I don’t feel like we have reached a resolution. Even if we ask him to come back, we need to have some sort of resolution on how to move forward given the discourse that was exchanged.”
McCall said he didn’t believe the agency had leadership and things were not getting done, which has put a hardship on staff.
“Our staff have asked me to help them and by God I am going to do it,” McCall said. “We are pushing them beyond what is reasonable.”
He said staff members have privately confided in him about concerns.
Luck said it is the first he had heard that staff had concerns, which is something that needed to be shared with other board members.
“This stuff about me being mad at him — that is not the issue,” McCall said. “This goes way, way back before that.
“I think he had private issues going on. He has a nonprofit he spends too much time working on. I just don’t think he has provided the leadership or assistance to staff. I had all of it I am going to take.”
Bickley, who was not at Monday’s meeting, was asked afterward to respond to McCall’s allegations about his performance.
“These suddenly arising performance allegations are simply meant to distract attention away from other issues before the Board,” Bickley said. “During my time as executive director, our agency has run under budget, doubled the volume of docketed cases heard by the board, received the governor’s award for leadership, and was recently recognized by our parole industry peers with an international award of excellence.”
During the meeting, McCall said he was sorry if other board members did not like the way he communicated with Bickley.
“I am one guy,” McCall said. “I don’t have the three-person majority like the governor appointees do.”
Doyle appeared to take issue with the three-person majority statement.
“You control the narrative of these meetings,” Doyle said. “You control the interviews. You are the person that speaks the most, has the most opinions. To say you are somehow drowned out by three governor’s appointees is not true.”
In an email to Stitt’s general counsel, Mark Burget, McCall accused Burget of interfering in Pardon and Parole Board matters.
In the email, McCall said, “I will ask the grand jury to investigate violations of the open meeting act and improperly influencing a public official. Your appointees regularly boast of their meeting with the Governor and his staff where board business is discussed.”
Featured gallery: COVID-19 basics everyone needs to know as the pandemic continues
COVID-19 basics everyone needs to know as the pandemic continues
How it spreads, who's at risk
Studies have shown many infected people show no symptoms or have symptoms so mild they may go undetected; those people can still transmit COVID-19 to About 20% of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 require hospitalization.
The disease can be fatal, especially for vulnerable populations: those older than 65, living in a nursing home or long-term care facility, and anyone with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, lung disease or obesity.
Science of virus spread
COVID-19 is spread mainly from person to person via respiratory droplets produced by an infected person. Spread is most likely when people are in close contact, within about 6 feet. A person might also be infected with COVID-19 after touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their face. According to the CDC, evidence suggests the novel coronavirus may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces, though that form of transmission is said to be minor.
Transmission between people more than 6 feet from one another may occur in poorly ventilated and enclosed spaces, the CDC says, especially where activities cause heavier breathing, such as singing or exercising.
The infectious period for patients can begin up to 48 hours before symptom onset.
List of symptoms
The CDC recently expanded its list of possible symptoms of COVID-19. The symptoms can appear from two days to two weeks after exposure.
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
This list does not include all possible symptoms and will continue to be updated by the CDC. One symptom not included is "purple toes," which someone may experience with no other symptoms, sometimes several weeks after the acute phase of an infection is over. The coloration and pain is caused by a lack of blood flow to the toes caused by excessive blood clotting, a late-stage concern with COVID-19 infections.
Kinds of testing
Those getting tested may experience different kinds of swabs. The viral test, known as PCR, involves a deep nasal swab that can be painful.
Other tests that require less-invasive swabs may produce results faster, but with less accuracy. These should not be used diagnostically.
It is not yet known whether COVID-19 antibodies can protect someone being infected again or how long protection might last.
The 'serious seven'
The "serious seven" refer to close contact environments where residents should take extra precautions if they choose to attend. The seven are gyms, weddings, house gatherings, bars, funerals, faith-based activities and other small events, according to Tulsa Health Department Director Bruce Dart.
Treatments being investigated
The FDA has allowed for antiviral drug remdesivir, previously tested on humans with Ebola, to treat more severe cases of COVID-19 in adults and children. Safety and effectiveness aside, preliminary studies have shown it can shorten recovery time for some patients.
After previously approving an emergency use authorization, the FDA as of July 1 cautions against use of hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for COVID-19 outside of the hospital setting or a clinical trial. A review of safety issues includes reports of serious heart rhythm problems and other safety issues, including blood and lymph system disorders, kidney injuries, and liver problems and failure.
Convalescent serum therapy
Some patients are receiving convalescent serum, meaning the antibodies made by people who have recovered after a COVID-19 infection. Antibody-rich blood plasma is being given to severely or critically ill COVID-19 patients, including Ascension St. John, Saint Francis Health System, OSU Center for Health Sciences and Hillcrest HealthCare System in Tulsa.
From June to July, requests for convalescent plasma from the Oklahoma Blood Institute multiplied seven-fold.
Recovery, as defined by CDC
To be considered recovered (without a test), these three things must happen, the CDC advises:
- No fever for at least 72 hours (three full days of normal temperature without the use of medicine)
- Other symptoms improved (no more cough, etc.)
- At least 10 days since symptoms first appeared
Barbara Hoberock
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barbara.hoberock
@tulsaworld.com
Twitter: @bhoberock
Barbara Hoberock
Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer
