Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals orders pace of executions to slow to 90-day intervals
By Zach Rael
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OKLAHOMA (KOCO) — The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ordered that the pace of executions in the state should be slowed down.
The court agreed with Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections that too many inmates are being executed too quickly. The order said the interval between executions should be 90 days.
“You watch your parents die and carry that to their grave, and then you feel like you’re the last person out here holding the torch, and victims’ voices go silent in the state of Oklahoma,” David Scott, whose sister was killed by a man on death row, said last year.
David’s sister, Elaine Scott, was killed by Alfred Mitchel in 1991. Mitchel was scheduled to be executed for the crime in October, but with the Appeals Court’s decision, David will likely have to wait even longer for justice.
“The justice has been handed out. The punishment is not being carried out again,” David said.
In a 5-2 opinion, the court decided that any future executions in Oklahoma should be carried out in 90-day intervals, not 60-day intervals like the state had been doing.
However, the majority also wrote that the pace will be set “unless circumstances dictate modifications.”
Drummond and ODOC filed the motion to increase the intervals, saying they just needed more time in between executions. They cited the stress on the execution staff and the strain on daily resources as the reasons.
“Attorney General Drummond respects the Court’s ruling and will continue to support the families of victims in every way possible as they await justice for their lost loved ones,” Drummond’s office said in a statement.
The ODOC also sent a statement after the court’s decision.
“The Oklahoma Department of Corrections respects the thoughtful and challenging decision made by the Court today. Director Harpe appreciates the partnership with Attorney General Drummond, who champions ODOC and its staff,” ODOC said in a statement.
The court did deny the state’s request to execute several inmates as a group, instead giving guidelines on how or when they should be carried out.
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