Oklahoma House committee to hold hearing on rape allegations at state prisons

An Oklahoma House committee will convene a hearing later this month about a former Oklahoma Department of Corrections employee who raised concerns about how the agency handled allegations that guards illegally had sex with inmates.

Psychologist Whitney Louis sought whistleblower status but was eventually fired, said state Rep. Justin Humphrey, chair of the House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee. The allegations made by Louis include complaints that the Corrections Department did not properly investigate allegations of rape involving its guards at Eddie Warrior Correctional Center, a minimum security prison for women in Taft, Humphrey said. Sexual intercourse between a prison guard and inmate is considered rape.

In a written statement, the Corrections Department denied allegations that its investigation was lacking and described Louis as a disgruntled employee.

"It was externally determined the claims made by a former disgruntled employee were appropriately investigated and in accordance with agency policy," the agency said. "While Rep. Justin Humphrey continues to misrepresent the outcome of our investigations, he has absolutely no evidence to the contrary beyond hyperbole and baseless allegations presented by said employee. He can provide any new evidence to the Oklahoma Attorney General. We consider this matter closed."

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Hearing to focus on whistleblower protections, federal guidelines

The hearing will focus on whether the Department of Corrections violated whistleblower protections and, more broadly, how the state follows federal Prison Rape Elimination Act guidelines.

"We're going to look at, is there evidence that there should be a more thorough investigation into the rape allegations," said Humphrey, R-Lane. "Hopefully, by the end of this hearing, we will have a good foundation of whether (there are) rapes occurring, but it seems highly likely. Have they been covered up? Is that on purpose or is that just the course of running the Department of Corrections?"

The hearing is scheduled for July 24 at the Oklahoma Capitol.

Louis' story was first told by nonprofit news outlet Oklahoma Watch. Humphrey said the Department of Corrections ultimately found the rape allegations unsubstantiated and that the attorney general's office confirmed that the agency conducted an appropriate investigation.

Humphrey said it's not a standard practice for legislative committees in Oklahoma to conduct their own fact-finding hearings on the behavior of state agencies. One notable exception he mentioned was the investigation into the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department during the Swadley's restaurant scandal.

"I am a person who's sick of seeing a lot of wasted hearings with no action and hopefully, we're gonna be able to say hey, here's the action that should be taken," he said. "That might be no action or it may be, hey, we think these people ought to be held responsible."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OK House committee hearing on prison rape, whistleblower complaints