Richard Brooks Douglass

Brooks Douglass is a victim, survivor, father, husband, brother, and son. At a young age, Mr. Douglass and his sister, Leslie, were both shot and witnessed the murder of their mother and father in their own home; Leslie was also sexually assaulted at the time. 

Because of retrials, Mr. Douglass and his sister had to testify in court nine times. Neither Mr. Douglass nor his sister were able to give victim impact statements because the right to do so did not exist in Oklahoma at that time. Later, Mr. Douglass decided to change that. 

After quickly realizing that victims were not afforded the rights they deserved, Mr. Douglass enrolled in law school. One month before receiving his law degree, he was elected as the youngest State Senator in Oklahoma history. For more than 20 years, Mr. Douglass has been serving victims of crime and changing state legislation to help guide victims through the criminal justice system. He once said, “I began to realize that we had a system that literally stepped over the body of the victims to read the rights of the perpetrator, and that the defendant had more rights than the victims.” 

Mr. Douglass authored and passed dozens of crime victims' rights bills and laws in Oklahoma, including the Victims Bill of Rights in Oklahoma, which dramatically changed the face of the criminal justice system in the state; and a 1992 bill allowing families of murder victims to give impact statements. He also passed laws regarding rights to restitution; confidentiality of victim information; rights of victims to attend all court proceedings; rights to be kept informed of case status; and, for the first time, the right of victims to attend the execution of their loves one's convicted killer. 

Mr. Douglass has made many appearances before prosecutors, victim advocates, law enforcement officials, and survivors, speaking about his experiences as a victim, survivor, and legislator. He also co-wrote and produced the movie Heaven's Rain about his life, in which he played his father in honor of his mother and father. 

Mr. Douglass was nominated by James M. Reams, County Attorney, Rockingham, New Hampshire.