WE’LL TALK ALL ABOUT THAT COMING UP HERE IN A FEW MINUTES. JONATHAN. THANK YOU. HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. FINAL PREPARATIONS ARE UNDERWAY AT THE OKLAHOMA STATE PENITENTIARY FOR THE LATEST EXECUTION HERE IN THE STATE. AND ABOUT 30 MINUTES, MICHAEL, DWAYNE SMITH IS SET FOR LETHAL INJECTION. AND HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY AT THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION, A GROUP IS PROTESTING HIS EXECUTION. THAT’S WHERE WE FIND KOCO CAMERON SIBERT LIVE FOR US THIS MORNING. CAMERON SHOW US THAT SCENE THERE BEHIND YOU. YEAH. GOOD MORNING. 30 MINUTES AFTER THIS PROTEST STARTED, YOU CAN SEE MORE PEOPLE STARTING TO GATHER HERE ON THIS CURB. THIS IS THE PROTEST AND WHAT ARE QUITE LITERALLY THE FINAL MOMENTS OF MICHAEL SMITH’S LIFE THIS MORNING. THIS GROUP IS THE OKLAHOMA COALITION TO ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY, PUSHING TO END EXECUTIONS HERE IN OKLAHOMA. YOU CAN SEE THEY’VE GOT SIGNS OUT HERE THIS MORNING STANDING IN SOLIDARITY AS THEY PUSH FOR THE END EXECUTIONS. THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY ATTEMPTS TO SAVE MR. SMITH’S LIFE. JUST YESTERDAY, HIS FAMILY DELIVERED A PETITION TO GOVERNOR STITT CALLING ON HIM TO INTERVENE BEFORE HIS EXECUTION, SMITH’S ATTORNEYS HAVE REQUESTED A CLEMENCY HEARING THAT WAS ULTIMATELY DENIED. IN THIS MORNING. WE’VE HEARD FROM SOME OF THESE PROTESTERS. THEY SAY THEY JUST DON’T TRUST THE CURRENT SYSTEM SET UP IN OUR STATE. AND UNTIL WE CAN WORK OUT ALL OF THESE KINKS IN THE SYSTEM AND WE CAN COME UP WITH A WAY THAT’S 100% FOOLPROOF, WE SHOULDN’T BE KILLING ANYBODY. BECAUSE JUST LIKE MY SIGN SAYS, WHAT IF WE GOT IT WRONG? WHAT IF A FAMILY MEMBER OF YOURS WAS WRONGLY CONVICTED AND TRIED AND EXECUTED, AND THEN THEY FIND OUT LATER THAT THEY WERE INNOCENT? YOU CAN NEVER TAKE THAT BACK. AND IN HIS FINAL HOURS, MICHAEL SMITH HAS SHARED A STATEMENT. HE SAID, MY LIFE IS ON THE LINE. DESPITE NEW EVIDENCE, MY ATTORNEY, MARK HENRIKSEN, HAS INFORMED MY FAMILY THAT HE WILL BE FILING NO FURTHER APPEALS ON MY BEHALF. I’M RELEASING THIS STATEMENT TO DEMAND THAT MR. HENRIKSEN DO HIS JOB AND FIGHT FOR MY LIFE. WE’LL TAKE YOU BACK OUT. LIVE HERE, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION. THIS IS WHAT THE PROTEST LOOKS LIKE THIS MORNING. CLOSE TO A DOZEN PEOPLE HOLDING SIGNS. THE BIG BANNER THERE. DON’T KILL FOR ME. STOP. STOP EXECUTIONS. WE’VE TALKED TO A FEW OF THESE PROTESTERS SO FAR THIS MORNING. WE PLAN TO TALK TO MORE OF THEM, GET THEIR PERSPECTIVE, AND AGAIN JUST NOW, LESS THAN 30 MINUTES UNTIL MISTER SMITH WILL BE EXECUTED BY LETHAL INJECTION AT 10 A.M. THIS MORNING AT THE OKLAHOMA STATE PENITENTIARY. WE'
Oklahoma group protesting Thursday's execution of death row inmate Michael Dewayne Smith
Michael Dewayne Smith's execution is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester
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Updated: 10:21 AM CDT Apr 4, 2024
A group plans to protest outside the Governor's Mansion in Oklahoma City, calling on Gov. Kevin Stitt to halt Thursday's execution of death row inmate Michael Dewayne Smith.| MORE | Petition urges Gov. Kevin Stitt to halt execution of death row inmate Michael SmithSmith was convicted of killing two people – 40-year-old Janet Moore and 24-year-old store clerk Sharath Pulluru – in separate incidents on Feb. 22, 2002. The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recently voted against recommending clemency for Smith, putting his fate in Stitt's hands.In the final hours before Smith's execution, the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty will be outside the Governor's Mansion for a protest. The group has asked the public to join during the push for Stitt to intervene at the last minute.Smith's family delivered a petition to the governor on Wednesday, asking him to do whatever he can. His family said new evidence in Smith's case showed that witnesses were being coerced during the trial.| MORE | Family of death row inmate Michael Dewayne Smith says key evidence should stop executionAs the execution approaches, Smith released a statement saying, "My life is on the line. Despite new evidence, my attorney Mark Henricksen has informed my family that he will be filing no further appeals on my behalf. I am releasing this statement to demand that Mr. Henricksen do his job and fight for my life."| MORE | Family of death row inmate Michael Smith says case is riddled with inconsistenciesBefore Smith's hearing, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond asked that the death row inmate be denied clemency, saying he killed two people in a "double-murder spree simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time."Smith's execution is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. The protest outside the Governor's Mansion starts at 9 a.m.Top HeadlinesFrom homelessness to Final Four history, Fisk forward Jeremiah Armstead being honored for courageCommunity searches for answers after 2 women disappeared from Oklahoma PanhandleVideo: Dad comes up with adorable ritual to avoid meltdowns over what 5-year-old daughter wearsA decade after retirement, Oklahoma baseball coach gets surprise 900th winCrowd twice as big as McCurtain County will take over southeastern Oklahoma during solar eclipse
OKLAHOMA CITY — A group plans to protest outside the Governor's Mansion in Oklahoma City, calling on Gov. Kevin Stitt to halt Thursday's execution of death row inmate Michael Dewayne Smith.
| MORE | Petition urges Gov. Kevin Stitt to halt execution of death row inmate Michael Smith
Smith was convicted of killing two people – 40-year-old Janet Moore and 24-year-old store clerk Sharath Pulluru – in separate incidents on Feb. 22, 2002. The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recently voted against recommending clemency for Smith, putting his fate in Stitt's hands.
In the final hours before Smith's execution, the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty will be outside the Governor's Mansion for a protest. The group has asked the public to join during the push for Stitt to intervene at the last minute.
Smith's family delivered a petition to the governor on Wednesday, asking him to do whatever he can. His family said new evidence in Smith's case showed that witnesses were being coerced during the trial.
| MORE | Family of death row inmate Michael Dewayne Smith says key evidence should stop execution
As the execution approaches, Smith released a statement saying, "My life is on the line. Despite new evidence, my attorney Mark Henricksen has informed my family that he will be filing no further appeals on my behalf. I am releasing this statement to demand that Mr. Henricksen do his job and fight for my life."
| MORE | Family of death row inmate Michael Smith says case is riddled with inconsistencies
Before Smith's hearing, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond asked that the death row inmate be denied clemency, saying he killed two people in a "double-murder spree simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Smith's execution is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. The protest outside the Governor's Mansion starts at 9 a.m.
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