Oklahoma
Does my state have the death penalty?
Yes, Oklahoma has executed a total of 79 people since 1976.
What is my governor's position on the death penalty?
Gov. Brad Henry (D) does not have a position on record.
Governor Brad Henry commuted the death sentence of Osvaldo Torres to Life without Parole on May 13, 2004. Henry said that it was "important to remember that the actual shooter in these horrific murders was also sentenced to death and faces execution." Henry also stated 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." (The Oklahoman, May 14, 2004) Henry's decision followed a recommendation for clemency by the Pardon and Parole Board and stay granted by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals following the International Court of Justice ruling that the rights of Torres and 50 other Mexican national on America's death rows under the Vienna convention were violated.
How many people are on Death Row in my state?
There are currently 94 prisoners on Death Row in Oklahoma. Of the 94 Death Row prisoners, 35 are black, 51 are white, 2 are Latino and 6 are Native American. Of the 94 prisoners on Death Row, 1 is a woman.
Is there anything like the Center on Wrongful Convictions in my state?
State of Oklahoma Indigent Defense System
DNA Forensic Testing Program
1660 Cross Center Drive
Norman, Oklahoma 73019
(405) 325-3633
Fax: (405) 325-7567
Was anyone on Death Row ever found innocent in my state?
Seven innocent people were exonerated on Death Row in Oklahoma. Charles Ray Gidden was released in 1981 after serving three years, Clifford Henry Bowen was released in 1986 after serving five years, Richard Neal Jones was released in 1987 after serving four years, Gregory R. Wilhoit was released in 1993 after serving six years, Adolph Munson was released in 1995 after serving fourteen years, Robert Lee Miller, Jr, was released in 1998 after serving ten years, and Ronald Williamson was released in 1999 after serving eleven years.
Are there any opportunities for volunteering in my state?
ACLU of Central Oklahoma
Death Penalty Institute of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
Additional Resources
Oklahoma State Info at DPIC
Oklahoma State Info at Equal Justice USA
* Information updated annually. Last updated January 2006. For more information, go to the Death Penalty Information Center.
News
Death Penalty Trends From DPIC
July 08, 2005
I found this information on Death Penalty Information Center's website about state's use of the...
Bring on the Bishops
March 20, 2005
U.S. Roman Catholic bishops are preparing to begin what they call a major campaign to...
US 'Whittling Away at Death Penalty'
March 03, 2005
From the BBC: Legal experts say that the US Supreme Court's decision to prevent youths...
Democracy Now Segment About The Death Penalty
March 02, 2005
Today you can see a segment of Democracy Now with Amy Goodman about the landmark...
Supreme Court Bars Death Penalty for Juvenile Killers
March 01, 2005
In a huge move, The Supreme Court forbid the execution of minors (under 17) at...
Study Finds Innocence Issue Leads to Lower Death Penalty Support
February 22, 2005
Makes sense to me. Three-quarters of Americans believe that an innocent person has been executed...
Court TV Runs 'The Exonerated'
January 23, 2005
Airing: 9 p.m. Thursday, Court TV "At the end of the play, we would sometimes...
