Capital punishment in Oklahoma

Capital punishment is legal in the U.S. state of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma is one of the leading states in number of performed post-Furman executions, behind only Texas and Virginia[1] and leading in number of executions per capita.[2]

Oklahoma was also the first state and the first jurisdiction in the world to adopt lethal injection as method of executions.[3] On December 16, 2010, Oklahoma became the first American state to use pentobarbital in the execution of John David Duty.[4]

Contents

Capital offenses

Process

Otherwise, life imprisonment without parole or life imprisonment are the only sentences allowed.

As in any other state, per federal case law, people who are under 18 at the time of commission of the capital crime [6] or mentally retarded[7] are constitutionally precluded from being executed.

A sentence of death has an automatic appeal to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.

The sentence review shall be in addition to direct appeal, if taken, and the review and appeal shall be consolidated for consideration. The court shall render its decision on legal errors enumerated, the factual substantiation of the verdict, and the validity of the sentence.

Clemency

Under current statute the Governor may grant a commutation of the death sentence, but must have the Recommendation of Clemency From a Board or Advisory Group. The only post-Furman pardon was granted by former Gov. Brad Henry on May 13, 2004 to Osvaldo Torres.[8]

Henry explainted that it was important to remember that the actual shooter in these horrific murders was also sentenced to death and faces execution and that he concluded that there is a possibility a significant miscarriage of justice occurred... specifically that the violation of his Vienna Convention Rights contributed to trial counsel's ineffectiveness, that the jury did not hear significant evidence, and that the result of the trial is unreliable.[8]

In earlier years Governor Lee Cruce commuted every death sentence imposed during his administration (1911–1915).[8]

Method

Since the resumption of executions in 1990 Lethal injection has been used as the primary method used for execution. However if lethal injection is to ever be outlawed the state has two secondary options. The first being Electrocution by electric chair which was used before the national moratorium began in 1967, with shooting by firing squad as the second option should both lethal injection and electrocution be outlawed.[9]

List of individuals executed by the State of Oklahoma since 1976

A total of 96 individuals convicted of murder have been executed by the State of Oklahoma since 1976. All were executed by lethal injection.

Executed person Date of execution Murder victim Under Governor
1 Charles Troy Coleman 10 September 1990 John Seward Henry Bellmon
2 Robyn Leroy Parks 10 March 1992 Abdullah Ibrahim David Walters
3 Olan Randle Robinson 13 March 1992 Shiela Lovejoy and Robert Swinford David Walters
4 Thomas J. Grasso 20 March 1995 Hilda Johnson Frank Keating
5 Roger Dale Stafford 1 July 1995 Melvin Lorenz, Linda Lorenz, Richard Lorenz, Isaac Freeman, Louis Zacarias, Terri Horst, David Salsman, Anthony Tew and David Lindsey Frank Keating
6 Robert Allen Brecheen [1][2][3] 11 August 1995 Marie Stubbs Frank Keating
7 Benjamin Brewer 26 April 1996 Karen Joyce Stapleton Frank Keating
8 Steven Keith Hatch 9 August 1996 Richard Douglas and Marilyn Douglas Frank Keating
9 Scott Dawn Carpenter 7 May 1997 A.J. Kelley Frank Keating
10 Michael Edward Long 20 February 1998 Sheryl Graber and Andrew Graber Frank Keating
11 Stephen Edward Wood 5 August 1998 Robert B. Brigden Frank Keating
12 Tuan Anh Nguyen 10 December 1998 Amanda White and Joseph White Frank Keating
13 John Wayne Duvall 17 December 1998 Karla Duvall Frank Keating
14 John Walter Castro 7 January 1999 Beulah Grace, Sissons Cox, and Rhonda Pappan Frank Keating
15 Sean Richard Sellers 4 February 1999 Paul Bellofatto, Vonda Bellofatto, and Robert Bower Frank Keating
16 Scotty Lee Moore 3 June 1999 Alex Fernandez Frank Keating
17 Norman Lee Newsted 8 July 1999 Larry Buckley Frank Keating
18 Cornel Cooks 2 December 1999 Jennie Elva Ridling Frank Keating
19 Bobby Lynn Ross 9 December 1999 Steven Mahan Frank Keating
20 Malcolm Rent Johnson 6 January 2000 Ura Alma Thompson Frank Keating
21 Gary Alan Walker 13 January 2000 Eddie O. Cash, Valerie Shaw-Hartzell, Jane Hilburn, Janet Jewell, Margaret Bell Lydick, and DeRonda Gay Roy Frank Keating
22 Michael Donald Roberts 10 February 2000 Lula Mae Brooks Frank Keating
23 Kelly Lamont Rogers 23 March 2000 Karen Marie Lauffenburger Frank Keating
24 Ronald Keith Boyd 27 April 2000 Richard Oldham Riggs Frank Keating
25 Charles Adrian Foster 25 May 2000 Claude Wiley Frank Keating
26 James Glenn Rodebeaux 1 June 2000 Nancy Rose Lee McKinney Frank Keating
27 Roger James Berget 8 June 2000 Rick Lee Patterson Frank Keating
28 William Clifford Bryson 15 June 2000 James Earl Plantz Frank Keating
29 Gregg Francis Braun 10 August 2000 Gwendolyn Sue Miller, Barbara Kchendorfer, Mary Rains, Pete Spurrier, and Geraldine Valdez Frank Keating
30 George Kent Wallace 10 August 2000 William Von Eric Domer and Mark Anthony McLaughlin Frank Keating
31 Eddie Leroy Trice 9 January 2001 Ernestine Jones Frank Keating
32 Wanda Jean Allen 11 January 2001 Gloria Jean Leathers Frank Keating
33 Floyd Allen Medlock 16 January 2001 Katherine Ann Busch Frank Keating
34 Dion Athansius Smallwood 18 January 2001 Lois Frederick Frank Keating
35 Mark Andrew Fowler 23 January 2001 John Barrier, Rick Cast, and Chumpon Chaowasin Frank Keating
36 Billy Ray Fox 25 January 2001 John Barrier, Rick Cast, and Chumpon Chaowasin Frank Keating
37 Loyd Winford Lafevers 30 January 2001 Addie Mae Hawley Frank Keating
38 Dorsie Leslie Jones, Jr. 1 February 2001 Stanley Eugene Buck, Sr. Frank Keating
39 Robert William Clayton 1 March 2001 Rhonda Kay Timmons Frank Keating
40 Ronald Dunaway Fluke 27 March 2001 Ginger Lou Fluke, Kathryn Lee Fluke, and Suzanna Michelle Fluke Frank Keating
41 Marilyn Kay Plantz 1 May 2001 James Earl Plantz Frank Keating
42 Terrance Anthony James 22 May 2001 Mark Allen Berry Frank Keating
43 Vincent Allen Johnson 29 May 2001 Shirley Mooneyham Frank Keating
44 Jerald Wayne Harjo 17 July 2001 Ruther Porter Frank Keating
45 Jack Dale Walker 28 August 2001 Shely Deann Ellison and Donald Gary Epperson Frank Keating
46 Alvie James Hale, Jr. 18 October 2001 William Jeffery Perry Frank Keating
47 Lois Nadean Smith 4 December 2001 Cindy Baillee Frank Keating
48 Sahib Lateef Al-Mosawi 6 December 2001 Inaam Al-Nashi and Mohamed Al-Nashi Frank Keating
49 David Wayne Woodruff 21 January 2002 Roger Joel Sarfaty and Lloyd Thompson Frank Keating
50 John Joseph Romano 29 January 2002 Roger Joel Sarfaty and Lloyd Thompson Frank Keating
51 Randall Eugene Cannon 23 July 2002 Addie Mae Hawley Frank Keating
52 Earl Alexander Frederick, Sr. 30 July 2002 Bradford Lee Beck Frank Keating
53 Jerry Lynn McCracken[10] 10 December 2002 Tyrrell Lee Boyd, Steve Allen Smith, Timothy Edward Sheets, and Carol Ann McDaniels Frank Keating
54 Jay Wesley Neill 12 December 2002 Kay Bruno, Jerri Bowles, Joyce Mullenix, and Ralph Zeller Frank Keating
55 Ernest Marvin Carter, Jr. 17 December 2002 Eugene Mankowski Frank Keating
56 Daniel Juan Revilla 16 January 2003 Mark Gomez Brad Henry
57 Bobby Joe Fields 13 February 2003 Louise J. Schem Brad Henry
58 Walanzo Deon Robinson 18 March 2003 Dennis Eugene Hill Brad Henry
59 John Michael Hooker 25 March 2003 Sylvia Stokes and Durcilla Morgan Brad Henry
60 Scott Allen Hain 3 April 2003 Michael William Houghton and Laura Lee Sanders Brad Henry
61 Don Wilson Hawkins, Jr. 8 April 2003 Linda Ann Thompson Brad Henry
62 Larry Kenneth Jackson 17 April 2003 Wendy Cade Brad Henry
63 Robert Wesley Knighton 27 May 2003 Richard Denney and Virginia Denney Brad Henry
64 Kenneth Chad Charm 5 June 2003 Brandy Crystian Hill Brad Henry
65 Lewis Eugene Gilbert II 1 July 2003 Roxanne Lynn Ruddell Brad Henry
66 Robert Don Duckett 8 July 2003 John E. Howard Brad Henry
67 Bryan Anthony Toles 22 July 2003 Juan Franceschi and Lonnie Franceschi Brad Henry
68 Jackie Lee Willingham 24 July 2003 Jayne Ellen Van Wey Brad Henry
69 Harold Loyd McElmurry III 29 July 2003 Rosa Vivien Pendley and Robert Pendley Brad Henry
70 Tyrone Peter Darks 13 January 2004 Sherry Goodlow Brad Henry
71 Norman Richard Cleary 17 February 2004 Wanda Neafus Brad Henry
72 David Jay Brown 9 March 2004 Eldon Lee McGuire Brad Henry
73 Hung Thanh Le 23 March 2004 Hai Hong Nguyen Brad Henry
74 Robert Leroy Bryan 8 June 2004 Mildred Inabell Bryan Brad Henry
75 Windel Ray Workman 26 August 2004 Amanda Hollman Brad Henry
76 Jimmie Ray Slaughter 15 March 2005 Melody Sue Wuertz and Jessica Rae Wuertz Brad Henry
77 George James Miller, Jr. 12 May 2005 Gary Kent Dodd Brad Henry
78 Michael Lannier Pennington 19 July 2005 Bradley Thomas Grooms Brad Henry
79 Kenneth Eugene Turrentine 11 August 2005 Avon Stevenson, Anita Richardson, Tina Pennington, and Martise Richardson Brad Henry
80 Richard Alford Thornburg, Jr. 18 April 2006 Jim Poteet, Terry Shepard, Kevin Smith Brad Henry
81 John Albert Boltz 1 June 2006 Doug Kirby Brad Henry
82 Eric Allen Patton 29 August 2006 Charlene Kauer Brad Henry
83 James Patrick Malicoat 31 August 2006 Tessa Leadford Brad Henry
84 Corey Duane Hamilton 9 January 2007 Joseph Gooch, Theodore Kindley, Senaida Lara, and Steven Williams Brad Henry
85 Jimmy Dale Bland 26 June 2007 Doyle Windle Rains Brad Henry
86 Frank Duane Welch 21 August 2007 Jo Talley Cooper and Debra Anne Stevens Brad Henry
87 Terry Lyn Short[4] 17 June 2008 Ken Yamamoto Brad Henry
88 Jessie Cummings 25 September 2008 Melissa Moody Brad Henry
89 Darwin Brown 22 January 2009 Richard Yost Brad Henry
90 Donald Gilson 14 May 2009 Shane Coffman Brad Henry
91 Michael DeLozier 9 July 2009 Orville Lewis Bullard and Paul Steven Morgan Brad Henry
92 Julius Ricardo Young 14 January 2010 Joyland Morgan and Kewan Morgan Brad Henry
93 Donald Ray Wackerly II 14 October 2010 Pan Sayakhoummane Brad Henry
94 John David Duty 16 December 2010 Curtis Wise Brad Henry
95 Billy Don Alverson 6 January 2011 Richard Kevin Yost Brad Henry
96 Jeffrey David Matthews 11 January 2011 Otis Earl Short Mary Fallin

Historical background

From 1841 to 1966, 132 people were executed in Oklahoma: 42 prior to statehood and 90 since.[11] One of them Arthur Gooch, was executed by the federal government for kidnapping.

Hanging was used by the state until 1911. From 1915 to 1966 electric chair became the sole method of execution.[12] The federal death row inmate Gooch, however, was hanged in 1936.

Only one woman was executed in Oklahoma in pre-Furman period (Dora Wright, a black domestic servant, was hanged on July 17, 1903, before statehood).

Oklahoma performed last pre-Furman electrocution (James French, 1966).

See also

References

  1. ^ Executions in the United States, 1608-1976, By State
  2. ^ State Execution Rates
  3. ^ A Guilty Man
  4. ^ Mims, Divina (December 16, 2010). "Death row inmate executed using pentobarbital in lethal injection". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/12/16/oklahoma.execution/. Retrieved December 16, 2010. 
  5. ^ Crimes Punishable by the Death Penalty
  6. ^ Roper v. Simmons, 543 U.S. 551 (2005)
  7. ^ Atkins v. Virginia, 536 U.S. 304 (2002)
  8. ^ a b c Clemency
  9. ^ Methods of Execution
  10. ^ http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/US/mccracken815.htm
  11. ^ Regional Studies The Southwest
  12. ^ http://users.bestweb.net/~rg/execution/OKLAHOMA.htm

External links

In depth
Lists of individuals executed
Other