We, the undersigned residents and members of the Tulsa County community, respectfully call for the creation of a Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) within the office of Steve Kunzweiler. A Conviction Integrity Unit is a dedicated division that reviews credible claims of wrongful conviction to ensure that justice is accurate, fair, and accountable.

In recent months alone, the Tulsa community has witnessed the staggering financial consequences of wrongful convictions and related civil rights lawsuits. The City of Tulsa recently approved a $26.25 million settlement for William Henry Jamerson, a man who spent more than two decades in prison for a crime he did not commit.

Just weeks earlier, Tulsa also approved a $15 million settlement for Malcolm Scott and De’Marchoe Carpenter, who were wrongfully imprisoned for nearly 20 years before being exonerated.

These cases alone represent more than $40 million in taxpayer-funded settlements in a short period of time. While these payouts help compensate individuals who lost decades of their lives, they also highlight the enormous financial cost that wrongful convictions place on our community.

A Conviction Integrity Unit could help identify and correct wrongful convictions earlier, before they turn into lengthy court battles and multi-million-dollar lawsuits. By proactively reviewing credible claims of innocence, Tulsa County could save taxpayers millions of dollars while strengthening trust in the justice system.

Beyond financial costs, there is also a human cost. Oklahoma’s prison system continues to face issues with overcrowding and challenging conditions for those incarcerated. Every prison bed occupied by someone who may be wrongfully convicted is a failure of the system and a misuse of limited correctional resources. A Conviction Integrity Unit would help ensure that individuals who may have been wrongly convicted have a meaningful opportunity to have their cases reviewed.

Most importantly, we must remember the human beings behind these cases. There are men and women currently serving long sentences who continue to maintain their innocence. Many have families waiting for them on the outside—parents, children, spouses, and loved ones who live every day with the hope that the truth will eventually come to light. When an innocent person is imprisoned, it is not just one life that is affected—it is entire families and communities that suffer.

Creating a Conviction Integrity Unit does not weaken the justice system; it strengthens it. It demonstrates that Tulsa County is committed not only to prosecuting crime, but also to ensuring that convictions are reliable, fair, and just.

Even if you do not personally know someone who is incarcerated or who has been wrongfully convicted, this issue still affects every member of our community. Wrongful convictions cost taxpayers millions of dollars, weaken trust in the justice system, and leave the real perpetrators free. More importantly, none of us are immune to the possibility of error within the system. At any time, a mistaken identification, flawed investigation, or unreliable testimony could impact someone you know—a friend, a neighbor, or a loved one.

Justice is not just about punishment; it is about getting it right.

We urge Tulsa County leaders to establish a Conviction Integrity Unit to review credible claims of wrongful conviction, protect taxpayer resources, and ensure that justice in Tulsa County is fair, accurate, and accountable for everyone.