Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed state prosecutor Cathy Stocker to the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board on Thursday. She replaces Kelly Doyle, who abruptly resigned in March.
This makes Stocker the second former prosecutor and only woman on the five-member board.
“It is an honor to be appointed by Governor Stitt to serve on the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board,” Stocker said. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve the citizens of our state in this new position and I will do so to the best of my ability.”
Stocker served for 28 years as district attorney in the state’s fourth district, which is made up of Blaine, Canadian, Garfield, Grant and Kingfisher Counties. From 1991 to 2010, she was on the District Attorneys Council, becoming vice chair then chair in her final two years. Additionally, Stocker was on the board of directors for the Oklahoma District Attorneys Association, before retiring in 2010.
This is not the only appointment on the board this year. In January, Stitt appointed Edward Konieczny, a former police officer and ex-president of the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma, to replace Adam Luck.
Luck, who served on the board since 2019, resigned at the request of the governor earlier this year. In his resignation letter, Luck noted differing beliefs between himself and Stitt over executions. As chairman of the board, Luck twice voted to recommend for Stitt to commute Julius Jones’ death sentence to life without parole.
