Under the authority of District Attorney Greg Mashburn, the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office in Oklahoma has issued a district-wide policy change regarding mug shots. From now on, mug shots taken at the Cleveland County jail in Norman, Oklahoma will not be made available to the public. This new rule was influenced by concerns over …
Under the authority of District Attorney Greg Mashburn, the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office in Oklahoma has issued a district-wide policy change regarding mug shots. From now on, mug shots taken at the Cleveland County jail in Norman, Oklahoma will not be made available to the public. This new rule was influenced by concerns over protecting the privacy rights of those who have been arrested for a crime but are later proven not guilty or are acquitted. If you are facing criminal charges in Oklahoma City, your first course of action should to be hire an experienced criminal defense attorney in OK. With the help of our qualified criminal defense lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center, you can protect your legal rights and improve your chances of a favorable outcome.
Protecting the Legal Rights of OK Offenders
The official statement from the D.A.’s office indicated that the mug shots would from now on only be made available for public viewing if there was a legitimate “law enforcement purpose” for doing so. While the U.S. Constitution and the Oklahoma Open Records Act dictate that many records from law enforcement agencies must remain open and available to the public, Assistant District Attorney David Batton said that it is rarely necessary for mug shots to be released. This decision highlights the fine line between the right of the general public to certain information and the right of citizens to maintain their privacy. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for the legal rights of Oklahoma offenders to be taken advantage of by law enforcement, which is one of the main reasons hiring an OK criminal defense lawyer to represent your case is so important.
Contact an Oklahoma Criminal Defense Attorney Today
The D.A. also cited concerns about the potential misuse of the mug shots by local media outlets, who often publish the pictures with little to no information other than sensationalized headlines like “Just Busted!” Regardless of whether or not a mug shot is released to the public though, being arrested for a crime in Oklahoma is a serious and frightening experience. Knowing what to say and what not to say is extremely important, and could prove critical to your individual situation. For this reason, enlisting the help of a skilled criminal defense lawyer in OK should be one of the first steps you take after being arrested for a crime in Oklahoma. If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime in Oklahoma City, contact our experienced criminal defense lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center and protect yourself from further harm.