Longtime Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn has announced he will retire. After 18 years as the top prosecutor for Cleveland, Garvin and McClain counties, Mashburn will leave office on March 1, 2025.
“When I first took office, I pledged to uphold justice, protect the vulnerable, and serve the public with integrity,” Mashburn wrote in a press release announcing his retirement. “These principles have guided me daily, and together, we have achieved significant milestones in pursuit of safer, more crime-free communities.”
His announcement came on the same day that the state executed Kevin Ray Underwood for the murder of 10-year-old Jamie Rose Bolin. Mashburn, who prosecuted Underwood in McClain County, was first elected shortly after the murder and was in McAlester for the execution Thursday.
“As I prepare to leave this role as a career prosecutor, I remain confident that the foundation we have built together will endure,” Mashburn said in a statement posted online.
His current term ends in 2027. State law requires the governor to appoint a replacement to complete the term if a district attorney resigns.
DA’s career spans decades in justice department
Mashburn, a resident of Norman, graduated from the University of Oklahoma School of Law in 1998. His work as an intern in the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office spurred his interest as a prosecutor, according to his website.
He spent his first ten years as an assistant district attorney in Oklahoma County.
During his time as an elected district attorney, Mashburn has served as president of the District Attorney’s Council, which provides services and advocacy for Oklahoma’s 27 district attorneys. In 2015, Gov. Mary Fallin appointed him to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control Commission where he has served as president of the commission several times.
Mashburn was named outstanding District Attorney for the State of Oklahoma in 2008 and again in 2024, and his office and staff have been recognized with over 40 awards for excellence.
In 2021, his name was among those reportedly considered for appointment as Oklahoma’s attorney general, a job that eventually went to John O’Connor.
His time as district attorney has not gone without controversy. His office faced public scrutiny a decade ago for prosecutions and asset forfeiture against a Norman business that sold glass pipes commonly used to smoke marijuana. After failing to obtain a conviction in one case against sitting Norman City Council member Stephen Tyler Holman, jurors from that trial spoke out against Mashburn’s continued prosecution over paraphernalia.
The charges were eventually dropped – a year before Oklahomans voted to legalize medical marijuana.
More: Prosecutor in Norman: Cost of prosecuting glass pipe case “worth it”
Read Greg Mashburn’s retirement announcement
Here is Mashburn’s full retirement statement:
“After much reflection and deep gratitude, I am announcing my decision to retire as District Attorney for District 21, effective March 1, 2025. Serving the citizens of Cleveland, Garvin, and McClain counties for the past 18 years has been the honor of a lifetime. I am profoundly grateful for the trust my fellow Oklahomans have placed in me throughout my tenure.
When I first took office, I pledged to uphold justice, protect the vulnerable, and serve the public with integrity. These principles have guided me daily, and together, we have achieved significant milestones in pursuit of safer, more crime-free communities. From successfully managing more than 80 attorneys and staff in ensuring caseloads are handled timely and ensuring that victims are properly cared for in the criminal justice system to prosecuting high-profile cases to other notable accomplishments such as serving on many boards and organizations, these successes are a testament to the collaboration and dedication of our entire team.
None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of my colleagues, law enforcement partners, and the citizens of every community we serve. Your partnership and commitment have inspired me to do my best in every case, every decision, and every effort to advance justice.
As I prepare to leave this role as a career prosecutor, I remain confident that the foundation we have built together will endure. I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition for my successor and will do everything I can to support their success in continuing the vital work of this office.
While I look forward to spending more time with my family and pursuing new interests, I will remain connected to the Norman community, which my family has called home for the past 30 years. My commitment to justice and public service does not end with my retirement; it simply takes a new form.
To the citizens of District 21, thank you for the privilege of serving as your District Attorney. I will cherish these years and the relationships we have built. As I transition to the next chapter, I leave with immense pride in what we have accomplished and deep faith in what lies ahead for our communities and state.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Cleveland County prosecutor Greg Mashburn will retire in 2025