Smolen Law

05/29/2026

Dustin Patterson was strangled by his cellmate inside Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville, Oklahoma. According to The Oklahoman, officers remained outside the cell for approximately 45 minutes while using pepper spray and pepper balls before entering. By the time they opened the door, Dustin was unresponsive.

This case is part of a larger concern surrounding Davis Correctional Facility, where The Oklahoman reported 21 homicides over four years. Smolen Law, led by Donald E. Smolen II, represents families connected to multiple deaths at the facility.

05/28/2026

21 homicides in four years at one Oklahoma prison. According to reporting by The Oklahoman, Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville had 21 homicides over four years. One of those deaths was Dustin Patterson, who was strangled by his cellmate while officers stood outside the cell door for approximately 45 minutes, repeatedly using pepper spray and pepper balls from outside the cell. By the time officers entered, Dustin was unresponsive.

Smolen Law, led by Donald E. Smolen, II, represents families connected to multiple deaths at this facility, including Dustin Patterson, correctional officer Alan Jay Hershberger, and Brantley Avallone.

The state has since moved maximum-security inmates out of the facility, but that does not answer every question. These cases also raise serious concerns about staffing, training, emergency response, reaction time, and accountability.

A prison should not become a death sentence. Families deserve answers. Read the full article here:

Davis Correctional Facility in Holdenville, Oklahoma, has been tied to years of violence, deaths, lawsuits, and serious questions about prison safety. According to The Oklahoman, the facility had 21 homicides over four years. One of those deaths was, Dustin James Patterson, a 27-year-old inmate who....

05/27/2026

🚨 video footage shows officers using spray, pepper balls, and commands, but waiting approximately 45 minutes before entering. By then, Dustin was unresponsive.

Smolen Law, led by Donald E. Smolen II, represents families connected to multiple deaths at this same facility, including Dustin Patterson, correctional officer Alan Hershberger, and Brantley Avallone.

Moving maximum-security inmates out may be part of the state’s response, but it does not answer the bigger question: why did so many people die before major changes were made?

A prison sentence should not become a death sentence. A correctional officer should not lose his life in a facility that failed to keep him safe. Families deserve answers, and accountability matters.

05/25/2026

In observance of Memorial Day, our office is closed today as we take time to honor and remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. 🇺🇸

We hope everyone has a safe and meaningful holiday. Please travel carefully, look out for one another, and take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of today.

* Don Smolen

05/22/2026

As we head into Memorial Day weekend, take a moment to remember the brave men and women who gave everything for this country and the freedoms we enjoy every day.

Please celebrate responsibly, look out for each other, and make safety a priority on the roads, on the water, and at home. A single decision can change lives forever.

From all of us at Smolen Law, we wish everyone a safe, meaningful, and peaceful Memorial Day weekend. 🇺🇸

05/20/2026

“Common sense” is supposed to protect innocent people. So why did two innocent people still lose their lives?

Smolen Law is breaking down the testimony from Mark Warren, who stated he was only “somewhat familiar” with highway pursuit guidelines after nearly 39 years in law enforcement and claimed officers are trained to rely on “common sense.”

At some point, the public has to ask:
If officers recognized the dangers, the near misses, the speeds, and the risks to innocent families… why did the pursuit continue?

WrongfulDeath PoliceAccountability CivilRights Oklahoma HighSpeedPursuit

05/18/2026

Smolen Law is speaking out after testimony revealed Mark Warren claimed officers are trained to rely on “common sense” during police pursuits, despite admitting he was only “somewhat familiar” with highway pursuit guidelines after nearly 39 years in law enforcement.

In this video, the attorneys at Smolen Law discuss the deadly Tulsa pursuit that reportedly reached speeds near 120 mph during lunch hour and ultimately ended with two innocent people losing their lives.

The question the public keeps asking:
If this was “common sense,” where was the common sense when the danger to innocent families became obvious?

05/15/2026

OHP “did his job,” even though two people died during the pursuit. At some point, the public has to ask whether “doing your job” includes recognizing when a chase has become too dangerous to continue. For families in Oklahoma, that question is at the heart of police accountability, wrongful death claims, and dangerous pursuit lawsuits.

05/12/2026

Two innocent people died, and “I was just doing my job” is not enough. When OHP Mark Warren says he was going to catch someone “at all costs,” the public deserves to know why innocent lives were put in danger. At Smolen Law, we believe accountability matters, especially when families are left grieving and searching for answers.

05/08/2026

Another major concern is the apparent lack of awareness around available alternatives. Warren acknowledged GPS was available, but said he did not know OnStar could potentially be used to help slow or disable the vehicle. That raises serious training questions. If officers are going to engage in high speed pursuits at 120 mph, they should also be trained on every reasonable tool that could reduce the danger to the public. The issue is not just what happened in the moment. It is whether the system prepared officers to choose safer options before a pursuit turned deadly.

05/04/2026

Reckless for Anyone Else. Reckless driving does not become safe just because it happens during a pursuit. OHP Mark Warren acknowledged that chasing someone through a parking lot could be misconduct and that driving 150 mph would be reckless conduct for anyone else. Yet this pursuit continued, and two innocent people, Lanise Dade and 13-year-old Cameya Miller, lost their lives. The question is not whether police can pursue. The question is whether the pursuit was handled in a way that protected the public or put them directly in danger.