Author: Shana Tatum
Published: May 31, 2025
Helena, OK – D.J. Yates is currently serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole in Oklahoma for the tragic death of his one-year-old son, Quinton Yates. The case made headlines in 2011 when Yates was arrested and charged with first-degree murder after his son was found unresponsive and later died at the hospital. At the time, Yates offered a tearful apology to the media, saying, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened.”
Now, more than a decade later, a new chapter is unfolding in Yates’ story. National Parole & Commutation Services (NPCS), a Dallas-based organization that helps incarcerated individuals across the United States seek sentence relief, has taken an interest in his case. NPCS has announced plans to file for a sentence commutation on Yates’ behalf, seeking to have his sentence reduced to life with the possibility of parole.
According to Yates and his supporters, he was under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident and has no memory of what occurred. While intoxication is not a legal defense to murder under Oklahoma law, advocates argue that his mental state, addiction, and remorse should factor into a re-evaluation of his sentence.
Perhaps most concerning to advocates is how Yates’ sentence came to be. Prosecutors in Ottawa County reportedly threatened to pursue the death penalty unless Yates pled guilty to first-degree murder. Facing the ultimate punishment, Yates accepted a plea deal for life without parole. This practice—leveraging the death penalty to extract guilty pleas—is increasingly controversial among criminal justice experts. Many argue it undermines due process and coerces defendants into accepting harsh outcomes without a full trial.
“When the death penalty is used as a bargaining chip, the result is often not justice but fear-based compliance,” said Shana Tatum, Director of NPCS. “Mr. Yates accepted responsibility for his actions, but no one should be forced to plead guilty under the threat of execution. We believe that a sentence of life with parole would still hold him accountable while allowing for the possibility of redemption.”
Yates, who is not gang-affiliated and works in the prison kitchen nearly every day, has made strides to distance himself from negative influences inside the facility. His efforts to stay busy and remain out of trouble are part of what NPCS cites as evidence of change. “Maintaining hope while serving life without parole is extremely difficult,” Tatum added. “Mr. Yates is showing us that hope still exists. We’re going to do everything in our power to support his path forward.”
NPCS has successfully helped numerous individuals across the country achieve sentence reductions and parole through strategic advocacy and detailed commutation applications. Yates’ case is now among those being championed for reconsideration.
As his application for commutation moves forward, D.J. Yates continues to hope for a second chance—one rooted in accountability, growth, and the possibility of a future outside prison walls.