Alva Review-Courier -

The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted unanimously on Monday to implement a waiting period for state prisoners to argue their sentence is unjust or excessive.

The administrative rules change, which must receive final approval from the Legislature to take effect, requires prisoners to serve the lesser of five years in prison or one-third of their sentence to become eligible for commutation. Current guidelines allow nearly all state prisoners to seek commutation, but they must wait at least three years to reapply if the board rejects their application.

Pardon and Parole Board staff loosened...