Anthony Sanchez, 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. The Pardon and Parole Board, responsible for making clemency recommendations to the governor, has recommended clemency in only three of the 16 death penalty cases since Stitt took office in 2019, two of which were denied by Stitt. Sanchez has seen many inmates get denied clemency despite the board's recommendation and is not optimistic for his own case.
Posts tagged as “Oklahoma”
On Thursday, a tornado tore through the Texas Panhandle town of Perryton, killing three people and injuring dozens more. Emergency personnel from surrounding towns and cities and from neighboring Oklahoma have descended on the town to help with the aftermath, while the National Weather Service has issued a warning for the area. Perryton is now in the process of assessing the damage and beginning the long road to recovery, with emergency personnel urging people to stay away from affected areas and follow safety protocols.
Governor Ron DeSantis has defended former President Donald Trump after he was indicted for his alleged mishandling of classified documents, referencing the decision by former FBI director James Comey to recommend no charges be filed in the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt introduced DeSantis at a special event in Tulsa, noting that DeSantis is in step with fellow Republicans while maintaining a steady hand amid pandemic and political tumult.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that two state laws banning abortion are unconstitutional, but the procedure remains illegal in most cases. The ruling found that the Oklahoma Constitution provides an "inherent right of a pregnant woman to terminate a pregnancy when necessary to preserve her life." The ruling is likely to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, and provides a measure of clarity on the legality of abortion in the state.
The Supreme Court has temporarily blocked the execution of Richard Glossip, who was convicted of murder-for-hire in 1997 based on the testimony of a single witness. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has since released evidence indicating the witness was not entirely truthful, leading to reasonable doubt of Glossip's guilt. Despite this, Glossip was still scheduled to be put to death on May 18, leading to public outcry from his supporters and celebrities. The Supreme Court's decision is a temporary reprieve, and it is possible that Oklahoma could still seek to execute Glossip in the future.
On Monday, six people, including five teenagers, were found dead in rural Oklahoma in what is believed to be a murder-suicide. The shooter, Jesse McFadden, was a 39-year-old convicted sex offender who was on trial for child pornography charges. The victims included his wife and her three children, as well as two of their friends. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are trying to understand why McFadden was free while awaiting trial on new sex charges.
Key takeaways: Six people, including a convicted sex offender, were found dead on a rural property east of Henryetta, Oklahoma. All victims sustained between one…
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has signed a bill into law making it a felony for healthcare workers to provide gender-affirming medical care to minors, including treatments such as puberty-blocking drugs and hormones. This is part of a larger trend of conservatives targeting transgender rights across the country, and advocates have argued that the law will have a detrimental effect on the health and well-being of transgender children. The law is set to take effect on November 1st, 2021, with unclear consequences for healthcare workers who violate it.