Crime victims and witnesses must be notified when an offender's sentence
may be reduced under legislation that has been signed into law by Gov.
Brad Henry.

The bill requires district attorneys offices to notify victims and
witnesses when the governor may grant a state Pardon and Parole Board
recommendation to commute a sentence, including life without parole.

The bill was inspired in part by the 2001 commutation of former Oklahoma
death row inmate Phillip Dewitt Smith, whose death sentence was commuted
to life without parole because of evidence that surfaced after his
conviction.

"Many people are unaware that the governor is allowed to commute a
sentence upon recommendation from the state Pardon and Parole Board," said
the bill's author, Sen. Jerry Smith, R-Tulsa. "This is just another one of
those rights that we should be granting."

District attorneys were already required to notify victims and witnesses
of scheduled court appearances and inform them of procedures and their
rights during a criminal trial.

Henry signed the measure, Senate Bill 616, Friday. It goes into effect
Nov. 1.

(source: Associated Press)