A man convicted of murder is suing the Oklahoma Board of Pardons and Parole and state agencies, claiming he was not given a reasonable chance at parole.

In 1997, when he was 15, Dwain Thomas murdered his mother, stepfather and stepgrandfather. Now he is suing the Board of Pardons and Parole, arguing that Oklahoma’s system for juvenile offenders needs to be overhauled.

Thomas says U.S. Supreme Court rulings prohibit almost all life sentences without parole for juveniles. Thomas claims he was an excellent inmate but was not given a fair chance before the state Board of Pardons and Parole.

Dwain Thomas, now 44, who was sentenced to three life terms at the Dick Conner Correctional Center at age 15, claims in court documents that he has an “outstanding” record behind bars and has earned certifications as a heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician, journeyman, Bible scholar and paralegal while in prison.

He filed his 45-page lawsuit before the Federal Court himself in 2020.

The judge dismissed the case later that year before it was retried on appeal in the 10th Circuit.

Thomas claims that the U.S. Supreme Court guarantees juvenile offenders a “meaningful and realistic” chance of release.

He says the Supreme Court has found that young people should be given “immaturity, vulnerability to outside influences and still-developing character traits” as grounds for a chance at parole.

Attorneys for the state argue that Oklahoma’s parole system provides constitutionally mandated parole opportunities.

However, both sides agree in their court filings that the guidelines do not distinguish between adult and juvenile offenders.

Thomas is calling on the federal judge to force the state’s prison system to give juvenile offenders more opportunities to demonstrate their readiness for release.

In recent weeks, final witness lists, witnesses and objections have been filed, indicating that the case could soon go to trial.

The Oklahoma Board of Pardons and Parole tells us it cannot comment on pending litigation.