I have known Patrick Hines as a friend for over 20 years. It's hard to understand how he came to be in a position to get a life sentence. He was raised in a middle class home, he was brought up in church, singing in the choir, along with is other two siblings. Patrick was a good student as well as a standout athlete in high school and graduated with honors cum laude and received a scholarship to college to play football. He also excelled in track and boxing, winning the 1986 high school heavyweight division Golden Gloves Championship. In all this, he had never been in trouble with the law before. Not so much as a speeding ticket. Not saying that he was perfect, but which one of us was a that age. Patrick could have been the son of any of us.

So what went wrong in his life that he should spend the next 3 1/2 decades in prison? Is that the justice system that we have? Life sentences should be reserved for career criminals, not first time offenders. Here is part of the story of how a 19 year old first time offender gets a life sentence, spends the next 3 1/2 decades in prison, but fights to change his life and help other men in the process.

In 1987 he was convicted for rape when he was 19. He has spent the majority of his life behind bars, now aged 55. His attorney at the time, Michael D. Clark was later convicted of filing a false income tax return, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, and illegal use of the telephone to facilitate drug transactions. All of these crimes were committed while he was retained by Mr. Hines.

I understand that Mr. Clark had nothing to do with Mr. Hines committing the crimes he committed, but our constitution demands that our attorney's be trustworthy, competent and give ethical representation when it comes to representing the court of law. But Mr. Clark was a corrupt attorney. Records show that Mr. Clark was deeply involved with two crime families operating out of Southeast Oklahoma in 1987. He was so deep that he started working as an informant for the FDA in October of 1987. This included his involvement in a multi-million dollar amphetamine and cocaine operation. At this point his main concern was securing his own freedom.

Patrick's corrupt attorney Mr. Clark, in November of 1987, coerced him into pleading guilty to the maximum sentence of life, by telling him that he would only do seven years in prison. Three months later Mr. Clark resigned as an attorney and was later disbarred. Rather than turning Patrick's case over to another attorney he used the trust Patrick had in him to expedite the closure of his case. You can read more on Mr. Clark's corrupt activities by googling: Former Attorney sentenced in federal tax, cocaine case.

The reason I think Patrick should get a second chance isn't just about the corruptness of his attorney, but because Patrick has worked hard to change who he was. During his incarceration, Patrick has taken programs that helped him look at his behavior and the pain and suffering that he caused his victim. Some of those programs include the Celebrate Recovery program, the Sex Offender Treatment program, the Lifeline Drug and Alcohol program, Victim Impact program, the Authentic Manhood program, the Prison Fellowship academy and many others. It is through these programs that he has gained the empathy and remorse needed for change.

Because of his willingness to change, it has allowed him to mentor countless other men in their efforts to change. Since 2019, Patrick has been coordinating and mentoring men in the Prison Fellowship Academy Tier 1 program. He helps men recognize the elements of their lives that brought them to prison. He encourages them to take responsibility for the harm they've caused in the lives of their victims. He also coordinates and mentors in the SPARK program which is a evangelistic and discipleship program. He learned computer skills while working in the Records Conversion Division of the Oklahoma Correctional Industries, where he has been employed 25 of his 36 years of incarceration. This shows he has the skills to be an asset to society.

Patrick has been up for parole 10 times, this past September being the most recent, without one favorable recommendation, not because he hasn't done what he was supposed to do, but because of the arbitrary and discretionary system that is in place. We know that we can't go back and undo the crimes that Patrick committed in 1987, we aren't talking about his innocence or guilt. We are talking about the change that Patrick has made in his life. Help us petition to get Patrick Hines a second chance.