Oklahoma’s Pardon and Parole Board has denied a request to commute the 30-year prison sentence of a woman convicted of failing to report the abuse of her children by her boyfriend, who received only two years behind bars for the abuse.
The board denied the request for 34-year-old Tondalao Hall, who was sentenced in 2006 after pleading guilty to failing to protect two of her children.
The boyfriend, 35-year-old Robert Braxton Jr., pleaded guilty to abusing the children and was released on probation after receiving credit for two years he had already spent in jail.
The women must wait three years before reapplying for commutation.
Oklahoma board denies commutation in domestic violence case
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Oklahoma’s Pardon and Parole Board has denied a request to commute the 30-year prison sentence of a woman convicted of failing to report the abuse of her children b…
kfor.com
A Petition now closed
Tondalao Hall is a domestic violence survivor sentenced to 30 years behind bars under a "failure to protect" law. Tondalao was punished for not leaving her abuser quickly enough, before he could inflict physical abuse on their children.
The abuser, Robert Braxton, was released back to the streets the day he was sentenced for child abuse, with only 8 years of probation to serve.
Tondalao, the adult victim of his abuse, is now serving her 13th year behind bars.
She has 20 more years left to serve.
Ensure the key issues of Tondalo Hall’s case return and remain a part of the national conversation about race, power, gender, and domestic violence.
Legislation or legal education to support legal defenses for victims charged in failure to protect cases.
Judicial reversal of Tondalao Hall’s unconstitutional sentence, setting a precedent to prevent the same injustice from impacting other victims.
Exposure of the shortcomings and potential for abuse when “Failure to Protect” laws are misused by prosecutors or courts to punish victims.
Encourage dialogue about domestic violence in the minority community and create safe spaces that empower survivors to tell their stories
While I do think that she has served enough time I am still irritated by her being made the victim- while the children who are the actual victims are not mentioned at all.