A federal jury in Oklahoma City convicted former Garvin County Jail detention deputy Paula Kelley on June 12, 2026, of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242, the statute that criminalizes willful civil rights violations by government actors [1]. The charge arose from Kelley's treatment of Kayla Turley, a pretrial detainee who died after Kelley repeatedly ignored her serious medical needs [1]. Five other correctional officers connected to the same incident had previously resolved their cases through guilty pleas before Kelley's case proceeded to trial [1].
The government's theory centered on deliberate indifference, the constitutional standard that prohibits custodial officers from consciously disregarding a substantial risk of serious harm to a detainee [1]. Prosecution was handled by attorneys from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Oklahoma and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division [1]. Because Turley died as a result of the rights violation, the charged count carries enhanced exposure under the death-results penalty provision of Section 242, which raises the statutory maximum to life imprisonment [1].
No sentencing date has been publicly announced. The conviction subjects Kelley to a guidelines calculation that will account for her role, the fatal outcome, and any relevant conduct from the broader investigation that produced five guilty pleas [1]. Post-trial motion practice and a sentencing schedule are expected to be set by the district court in the coming months.