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Sharon Holmes is a judge of the Oklahoma Judicial District 14. [1] She is the first black woman judge ever elected to Tulsa County. [2] Her current term ends in 2026.
Holmes worked for the Tulsa County District Attorney's office as an assistant DA and later "ventured into private practice." She was sworn in as a judge on Jan. 12, 2015 after running against Blake Shipley. [3] [4] She replaced retired District Judge Jesse Harris. [5] She retained her seat in 2018 by capturing 78.12 percent of the 8001 votes cast. [6]
Holmes supported the Biden nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson, for the Supreme Court, the first Black woman to serve on the court. [7]
Holmes was also the first judge in Tulsa to hear an Oklahoma Survivors Act retroactive relief case (for resentencing) in Tulsa County. [8] To the outcry of advocates, she denied release to Erica Harrison, arguing that because Harrison was not in a romantic relationship with Calvin Anderson, even though he repeatedly raped her, she did not quality under the OSA. [9] [10] [11]
Holmes was the judge who released the exonerated Corey Atchison, calling his case a "fundamental miscarriage of justice." Current DA, Steve Kunzweiler, defended the former prosecutor, Tim Harris, and said they would appeal Holmes's ruling that overturned Atchison's conviction. [12] [13] Kunzweiler also appealed and protested Holmes' sentencing on Shawn Canady, "who was convicted on two counts of child sexual abuse." For that case, a petition for Holmes' resignation was started after she did not take the jury's sentencing recommendation and gave Canady probation. [14] [15] [16]
Holmes also made headlines after she was asked to be removed from the Cruz murder case after she had a private meeting with the suspect alone in her chambers. [17] Presiding District Court Judge Dawn Moody "determined Judge Holmes should be disqualified from overseeing" the case. [18] [19]
Holmes has a bachelor’s degree on an ROTC scholarship and spent six years in the Air Force. She attended Oklahoma City University. She is a mother. [20] In 2019, she was hospitalized after being stabbed by her daughter. [21] [22]
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