Anthony Sanchez Rejects Chance for Clemency Hearing Ahead of Scheduled Execution for 1996 Murder of University of Oklahoma Dance Student

A man scheduled to be executed in September for the 1996 killing of a University of Oklahoma dance student has decided to reject his chance for a clemency hearing. Anthony Sanchez, 44, said in a telephone interview Thursday from Oklahoma’s death row that he has little hope that the state’s Republican governor, Kevin Stitt, would spare his life.

Sanchez cited the recent cases of Bigler Stouffer and James Coddington, both of whom were executed after the board voted 3-2 for clemency that was later denied by Stitt. “Either way, it doesn’t go well for the inmates,” Sanchez said.

The Pardon and Parole Board is made up of five members appointed by the governor and is responsible for making clemency recommendations to the governor. The board has the authority to grant full or partial pardons, commutations, and reprieves.

The board has recommended clemency in only three of the 16 death penalty cases since Stitt took office in 2019. In two of those cases, Stitt denied clemency, and in the third, the inmate died of natural causes before the execution could take place.

Sanchez is scheduled to be executed on September 16th for the 1996 murder of University of Oklahoma dance student, Jennifer Ermey. He has been on death row since 1998 and has exhausted all of his appeals.

Sanchez said he is not optimistic that the Pardon and Parole Board will recommend clemency in his case. He said he has seen too many inmates get denied clemency, despite the board’s recommendation. “I’ve sat in my cell and I’ve watched inmate after inmate after inmate get clemency and get denied clemency,” Sanchez said.