OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board official says the parole of a woman sentenced to 12 years in prison on a first-offense drug conviction was never withdrawn.
Parole board Deputy Director J.D. Daniels said Thursday that Patricia Spottedcrow's parole recommendation was suspended — not withdrawn.
Spottedcrow was moved to a community correction center in Oklahoma City after Gov. Mary Fallin had approved the board's April parole recommendation.
Prison spokesman Jerry Massie says she was returned Tuesday to a minimum-security prison after an initial report from the parole board that the recommendation was withdrawn.
Massie says Spottedcrow was brought back to the Oklahoma City center when officials later saw her parole was suspended.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
The early release of an Oklahoma woman sentenced to 12 years in prison on a first-offense drug conviction is in limbo after a prosecutor questioned the practices of the state parole board.
Gov. Mary Fallin approved the board's April parole recommendation for Patricia Spottedcrow with the stipulation she complete 120 hours of work-release.
The board withdrew the recommendation after a prosecutor said it may have violated the state Open Meetings Act on Spottedcrow's case and 49 others.
Spottedcrow was transferred to a community correctional center in Oklahoma City when parole was approved but was sent back to a minimum security prison Tuesday when the recommendation was withdrawn.
A prison official say Spottedcrow was transferred back to Oklahoma City the same day after her parole recommendation was changed to "suspended."
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.