Another retired judge joins Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board
The newest member of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board is a retired judge who said he has the experience to take on the job.
Robert E. Reavis II was an associate district judge in Ottawa County in far northeast Oklahoma for 24 years. The Oklahoma Supreme Court appointed him to the five-member board Thursday.
The parole board has been more in the spotlight since the state resumed executions in 2021 because it votes on all death row inmate requests for mercy. The governor has the final say but can only act if the board recommends clemency.
"You're not doing it for the pay because the pay's not much. And you're not doing it for the prestige," Reavis told The Oklahoman on Friday. "I've had a lot of experience in different forums for criminal law and things. So it's something I know about. So it's something I think I could be of service doing."
He said he thought long and hard about it after the Supreme Court's chief justice approached him.
"A lot of times if you can do something, and somebody asks you to do it, maybe you should do it," he said.
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What to know about Robert E. Reavis II, newest member of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board
Reavis, 62, of Miami, Oklahoma, takes over for Richard Smothermon, who had been on the board since July 2021. The former district attorney resigned this month.
Reavis began his career as a judge advocate for U.S. Marine Corps. He later was a defense attorney and then a prosecutor. He ran for associate district judge and was elected in 1994.
He retired in 2018 and has provided judicial services to tribes in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado since then.
“Judge Reavis is an honorable and thoughtful man," Supreme Court Chief Justice John Kane said Friday in a news release.
"We served in northeast Oklahoma at the same time as trial court judges. His ability to review cases, assess problems and render decisions will make him an excellent member of the Pardon and Parole Board."
The board has gone through repeated shakeups since Oklahoma resumed executions. Reavis is the fourth member appointed this year.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Retired judge appointed to Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board
