A judge has granted the release of a woman who was serving a life sentence for her involvement in her husband’s murder in 1990. This decision comes as a result of the Oklahoma Survivors’ Act, which gives individuals the opportunity for a second chance at life.
Lisa Moss, who was convicted of conspiracy and first-degree felony murder for the death of her husband Lanny Mike Moss in 1990, appeared in court on Wednesday after serving 34 years of her original life sentence.
Upon Lisa’s return from work, she discovered her husband dead in a trashed room. The Chief Medical Examiner later ruled that Lanny suffered two gunshot wounds to the head.
Lisa and her brother, Richard Lee Wright, were both arrested after her husband’s death.
Her brother admitted to firing the gun, and he was also accused of committing murder in the incident.
Attorneys representing Moss argued during her appeal for a reduced sentence that she is a survivor of sexual, physical, and psychological abuse. They further claimed that Lanny, her former partner, had repeatedly raped her. The attorneys also asserted that Lanny had molested Lisa’s daughter for a period of several months.
Lisa and Wright are currently serving life sentences.
In 2024, lawmakers in Oklahoma enacted the Survivors’ Act, which grants domestic abuse survivors the opportunity for a resentencing if they can present evidence that their abuse was a contributing factor in the committed crime.
Moss became the first person to be released retroactively under the new law.
During the hearing on Wednesday, there were multiple accounts presented of Mike physically and sexually abusing Lisa.
Moss’s attorneys requested an evidentiary hearing in December, invoking the Oklahoma Survivors Act.
“I will get to have a second chance at life,” said Moss, after she walked out of the courtroom as a free woman. “I’m going to get to know both my children and my grandchildren. The rest of my family.”
During the hearing, Moss bravely took the stand and courageously shared her heartbreaking experience of enduring “years of abuse.” With raw emotion, she recounted the profound suffering she endured, having been subjected to sexual, physical, and emotional abuse by her own husband.
Oklahoma Appleseed, a non-profit organization, had been representing Moss and fighting the case for several months.
“To come to a place like Seminole, Oklahoma, a tiny town like this in a rural place and see the evidence that we had and have it be received and believed and ruled on is a historic moment,” said Colleen McCarty, Oklahoma Appleseed attorney. “This isn’t just for Lisa. It’s a changing of the tide for survivors of violence. And we’re coming for all of them.”
The state claimed that there were no filed protective orders or police reports documenting Mike’s abusive behavior.
“(The judge) made a decision that, you know, albeit our victim’s family doesn’t agree with,” said Erik Johnson, Seminole County District Attorney. “The judge believes that they met the evidentiary burden required by the Survivors Act.”
Tears filled the courtroom as the judge delivered the verdict, causing the family and friends to break down in sorrow. With a sense of relief, she shared that she had managed to earn a degree during her time behind bars and had secured employment and a place to call home now that she was finally released.
“(I’m) going spend time with my family. Spend time with my family,” said Moss.
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