Oklahoma manager rejects clemency for demise row inmate

Oklahoma executive rejects clemency for demise row inmate

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt on Wednesday rejected clemency for a male facing execution this week for the 1997 mallet killing of a Choctaw man, inside malice of a recommendation from the state's Pardon accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Parole Board that his actuality exist spared.

James Coddington was convicted accompanied by every one one other accompanied by sentenced to die for the beating demise of his friend accompanied by every one one other accompanied by coworker, 73-year-old Albert Hale, inside Hale's Choctaw home. Prosecutors speak Coddington, who was 24 at the time, became enraged when Hale refused to inside attendance accompanied by him money to buy cocaine.

Coddington's execution is scheduled for Thursday morning.

"After rigorously reviewing arguments accompanied by every one one other accompanied by proof presented by all sides of the case, Governor Kevin Stitt has denied the Pardon accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Parole Board's clemency recommendation for James Allen Coddington," Stitt's office said inside a statement.

During a clemency hearing this month earlier to the state's five-member Pardon accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Parole Board, an emotional Coddington, now 50, apologized to Hale's family accompanied by every one one other accompanied by said he is a different male today.

"I'm clean, I know God, I'm not ... I'm not a vicious murderer," Coddington told the board. "If this ends today accompanied by my demise sentence, OK."

Mitch Hale, Albert Hale's son who had urged the parole board not to advocate clemency, said he feels a sensory ability of reassurance accompanied by Stitt's decision.

"Our family tin place this behind us following 25 years," Hale, 64, said. "No one is at some hour dated contented that someone's dying, nevertheless (Coddington) chose this footpath ... he knew what the consequences are, he rolled the dice accompanied by every one one other accompanied by lost."

Hale said he, his wife, goddaughter accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a friend were en way to McAlester to attend the execution.

Coddington's attorney, Emma Rolls, told the panel that Coddington was impaired by years of liquor accompanied by every one one other accompanied by medicine abuse that began when he was an infant accompanied by every one one other accompanied by his father place ale accompanied by every one one other accompanied by whiskey into his infant bottles.

Rolls said Coddington doesn't have some pending appeals that would delay or place an extremity to his execution on Thursday.

"While we are profoundly disheartened by this decision, we exist thankful for the pardons board's careful idea of James Coddington's actuality accompanied by every one one other accompanied by case, Rolls said inside a statement following Stitt's announcement.

"The Board's clemency recommendation acknowledged James's heartfelt remorse accompanied by every one one other accompanied by meaningful alter all over his years on demise row," Rolls said.

The Rev. Don Heath, chair of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty said "there is no indeed indeed mercy or forgiveness" inside Stitt's heart.

"I am surprised, and, completely honestly, angry at Gov. Stitt's rejection of clemency for James Coddington. Stitt's statement does not inside attendance accompanied by a spring for his denial — it simply states that a jury convicted Coddington of first-degree murder accompanied by every one one other accompanied by sentenced him to death," Heath said inside a statement.

"We have 25 executions scheduled over the following 29 months. I am frightened that the Pardon accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Parole Board hearings will exist moot exercises," Heath said.

The parole board had voted 3-2 to advocate Coddington for clemency.

Stitt, a Republican, had said he planned to meet accompanied by Hale's family, prosecutors accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Coddington's attorneys earlier to making his decision.

Coddington was twice sentenced to demise for Hale's killing, the following hour dated inside 2008 following his initial judgement was overturned on appeal.

Stitt has granted clemency only one time, inside November, to demise row inmate Julius Jones fair hours earlier to Jones was scheduled to receive a lethal injection. The first-term executive commuted Jones' judgement to actuality inside prison lacking parole.

Jones' instance had drawn national watching following it was featured inside "The Last Defense," a three-episode documentary that cast uncertainty on Jones' conviction, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by there were numerous protests inside Oklahoma City inside the days leading up to Jones' scheduled execution date.

Stitt said inside an gathering accompanied by The Associated Press earlier this month that had he allowed Jones' execution to go forward "that would have certainly torn our condition apart."

Coddington's execution would the the fifth since Oklahoma resumed carrying not here the demise punishment inside October.

The condition had halted executions inside September 2015 when prison officials realized they had received the incorrect lethal drug.

It was subsequent learned the same incorrect medicine had been used formerly to execute an inmate, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by executions inside the condition were place on hold.

Oklahoma executive rejects clemency for demise row inmate