An Oklahoma County woman is seeking a reduced prison sentence under a new state law. Tyesha Long, who is serving 27 years for the 2020 killing of her ex-boyfriend Ray Brown, has filed a petition under the Oklahoma Survivors Act, which allows domestic abuse survivors to request shorter sentence. According to KOCO, her sentence could be reduced by 15 years if the petition is approved.
During a two-day hearing, prosecutors questioned Tyesha Long’s claims of abuse by Ray Brown. Long testified that she experienced physical and emotional harm and feared for her life. A domestic abuse expert from the local YWCA testified in her defense, stating that Long was in fear for her life at the time of the shooting. News 9 also reported that Lisa Wright, who was previously released under the same law, expressed support for Long, citing similar experiences with domestic abuse.
The decision in Tyesha Long’s case is pending, with a judge expected to issue a written ruling in the coming weeks. Long is the first person in Oklahoma County to seek a sentence reduction under the 2024 Survivors’ Act, which allows domestic abuse and trafficking victims to request sentencing relief. During the hearing, a digital expert presented evidence of threatening messages from Long’s ex-boyfriend and photos of her injuries, as mentioned by KFOR. Nearly 200 similar petitions have been filed under the law, though not all will go to court. Lisa Wright told News 9, “We all have our own picture in our minds of what a survivor is supposed to look like.”
