Lauria and Ashley's Law Passes House
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Steve Bashore, R-Miami, today secured House passage of a bill that would add accessory to murder in the first or second degree to the list of crimes that would require an offender to serve 85% of their prison sentence before being eligible for consideration for parole. Those convicted also would not be eligible to earn any type of credits that would reduce the sentence to below 85% of what was imposed. House Bill 1001 is named Lauria and Ashley's Law after 16-year-olds Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman, of Welch, who were kidnapped, tortured, raped and killed on New Year's Eve 1999. It is presumed their bodies were dumped in a Pitcher mine pit, but their remains have not been recovered. Ashley's parents, Danny and Kathy Freeman, were shot to death in the crime. Their remains were found in their mobile home that had been set on fire. "This bill is named after two girls in my House district in the prime of their lives when they were brutally tortured, raped and murdered," Bashore said. "Yet the person who admitted to participating in these crimes served less than three years in prison and had his prison sentence reduced because of credits earned for things such as maintaining good hygiene. He then was allowed to move less than 20 miles from the mother of one of the girls. This law is trying to keep these type of perpetrators in prison for at least 85 percent of the time to which they are sentenced." A similar bill passed the House last year with an overwhelming majority, but the bill was not considered on the Senate floor. Lorene Bible, the mother of Lauria, was in the House today when the bill passed. She said she and her family were heartbroken when the bill did not receive a hearing in the full Senate last year. While she's thankful for passage in the House, but she said she plans to work hard to assure the measure makes it to the governor's desk this year. "We know this will not bring Lauria and Ashley back," she said. "But we want to prevent this nightmare from happening to any other family that might experience something like this. And unfortunately in this day and age, there will always be another family, one that might not have the energy to pursue justice for 25 years like we have. If we can help them by ensuring someone that admitted to participating in the crime stays in prison on a longer sentence, then that will give us some measure of peace." The legislation addresses the reduced prison sentence of a man charged with accessory to felony murder in the case. Ronnie Busick in 2020 received a 10-year prison sentence with five years' probation, but only one year supervised. Because of good-days earned while incarcerated as well as time credited while in a county jail, Busick was released after just three years in prison. He was released back into the community where the crimes were committed, in close proximity to where family members of the victims still live. Lorene Bible said Busick now has more rights than she does as she's been warned by law enforcement to do nothing to upset him now that he's served his sentence. She said had she known he would not be required to serve 85% of his 10-year sentence, she never would have agreed to the deal offered by prosecutors at the time. It is reported that Busick received a lessened sentence in exchange for information leading to the discovery of the teens' bodies. They still have not been found. Bashore said this bill would assure family members of other felony murder victims going forward that any person convicted and sentenced to participating in such a crime would have a lengthier time behind bars. HB1001 passed the House on a vote of 76-11. It now moves to the Senate where it is authored by Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond.