Demand Justice for Charles Frierson — A Man Wrongly Convicted and Sentenced to Life Based on Circumstantial Evidence Alone

We, the undersigned, call on the Governor of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Pardon & Parole Board to review and correct the wrongful conviction and excessive sentencing of Charles Frierson — a man who maintains actual innocence and whose case was built entirely on circumstantial evidence of "control and dominion” theories rather than physical evidence, facts, or truth.(Circumstantial evidence that was destroyed 2 years before trial.) 

Charles is not asking for sympathy. He is asking for justice. And the facts of his case demand it. 

📌 THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED 

Charles Was in California — Not Oklahoma — During the Alleged Criminal Activity From September 28, 2014 to October 14, 2014, Charles was in California to resolve a routine traffic citation. 

The documented timeline is clear:

✔️ Sept 28: Charles traveled from Oklahoma to California for court.

✔️ Sept 30: Charles made a physical appearance to California department of motor vehicles to renew his license and identification card.

✔️ Oct 4: He appeared before a California judge regarding his traffic ticket. His driver’s license was surrendered for 10 days, meaning: • He legally could NOT drive • He physically could NOT return to Oklahoma • He was required to remain in California until the surrender period ended.

✔️ Oct 4–14: During this period, he experienced a medical emergency and was hospitalized briefly in California. Medical documentation confirms this. 

✔️ Oct 14: His 10-day license hold ended, and he immediately returned to Oklahoma. That same day  he was arrested for trafficking.

So how could Charles be in Oklahoma committing a crime when he was physically, legally, and medically in California — proven by state and hospital records? The answer: He wasn’t. 

📌 WHAT THE STATE CLAIMED — AND WHY IT MAKES NO SENSE 

The State of Oklahoma built its case on circumstantial evidence, using the concept of control and dominion over a property to claim “constructive possession. ”Note: That the state of Oklahoma destroyed the evidence against his person.

Constructive possession means the state must prove:

• knowledge

• intent

• ability to exercise control

• proximity or actions linking a person to the drugs NONE of these elements existed for Charles.

There was:

• ❌ No fingerprints

• ❌ No DNA

• ❌ No phone records

• ❌ No surveillance

• ❌ No eyewitnesses

• ❌ No evidence he was in Oklahoma

• ❌ No evidence he stepped foot in the house

• ❌ No physical connection between Charles and any alleged drugs.

📌 THE CI DRUG DEAL & THE RAID WHILE CHARLES WAS OUT OF STATE

🔸 October 8 — The “Controlled Buy” Alleged by the CI

Officers claim a confidential informant made a deal at the property on October 8. But:

📌 Charles was still in California at this time.

📌 He did not have a driver’s license.

📌 He was hospitalized during this window.

📌 He could not return to Oklahoma.

🔸 October 10 — The House Raid

A raid was conducted on October 10, again while Charles was confirmed to be in California. Inside the house was only one person:

✔️ The co-defendant — who later pled guilty to ALL the charges.

Yet despite this:

• The co-defendant took responsibility

• He was physically present

• He admitted guilt Charles was the one given a LIFE sentence. A line of questioning was raised if officers knew of Charles possession drugs distributing drugs or selling drugs and all 3 of the officers testified that there was and is no record of Charles ever possessing drugs selling drugs or having no form of contraband.

That is not justice. That is scapegoating. 

📌 CLAIM OF ACTUAL INNOCENCE

Charles is not simply arguing legal error. He is declaring actual innocence because:

• He was not in the state

• He had no access to the property

• He had no vehicle

• He was hospitalized

• He did not participate in any alleged activity

• The co-defendant admitted guilt

• There is ZERO physical evidence against him.

 His conviction relied solely on officers assuming he had control over a property while he was hundreds of miles away.

Constructive possession should never be stretched this far — and courts around the country have reversed convictions when the state fails to prove actual possession, knowledge, or intent.

Charles’s case is the definition of an injustice.

📌 EXCESSIVE SENTENCING: LIFE FOR A CRIME HE COULD NOT HAVE COMMITTED

Even worse, Oklahoma has since reformed its drug laws. Today, the charge he was convicted under carries:

➡️ 4 to 10 years But Charles received:

➡️ LIFE IN PRISON A life sentence based on zero evidence.

A life sentence for a crime he was out of state during.

A life sentence for circumstantial theories that would not survive under today’s standards.

This is not fairness.

This is not justice.

This is a failure of the system. 

 📣 WHAT WE ARE ASKING We call on:

✔️ Governor Kevin Stitt

✔️ The Oklahoma Pardon & Parole Board to:

• Review the full timeline of Charles’s case

• Recognize the lack of physical evidence

• Consider the co-defendant’s guilty plea

• Consider Charles’s verified California documentation

• Acknowledge the misuse of constructive possession

• Apply today’s 4–10 year sentencing guidelines

• Grant Charles early commutation or immediate release

Charles has already lost years of his life to an unjust conviction. He deserves a fair review, a lawful sentence, and the chance to return home.

📣 YOUR SIGNATURE MATTERS

When innocent people receive life sentences based on assumption instead of evidence, none of us are safe. By signing, you are helping:

• fight wrongful convictions

• end excessive sentencing

• bring awareness to broken drug laws

• support a man who has been unheard for too long

• push Oklahoma toward justice and accountability

 Help us bring Charles home. Stand for truth. Stand for fairness. Stand for justice.

✍️ Sign the petition and share widely. Every signature matters.