30th Annual Dinner for OK-Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

The Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty gathered on August 20th for their 30th annual dinner. The Oklahoma City First Church of the Nazarene hosted the dinner and the event featuring keynote speaker Shane Claiborne. Several Disciples of Christ were present including Rev. Don Heath, Chair of the OK-CADP, Rev. Pamela & Randy Holt, Rev. Dwayne & Ye’Maya Rodgers, Rev. David & Cherie Wheeler, Rev. Marilynn Knott, Pastor Israel Hogue, and two tables of members of OKC Simplicity Church.

Learn more about the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty on Facebook or on the OK-CADP website.

What do Disciples of Christ believe about the death penalty?

Over the years, the sense of the Disciples of Christ assemblies have opposed the death penalty. Here are the Resolutions from past general assemblies: 0324, 9131, 8554, 7534, 7344.

25 Months. 25 Scheduled Executions

Oklahoma currently has 25 people on Death Row. Executions are scheduled for the next 25 months, and their names are listed below. Copied from Death Penalty Information Center.

James Coddington (August 25, 2022; Oklahoma County) experienced poverty, trauma, and abuse from the time he was born. He has severe mental illness and drug addiction, and immediately expressed profound remorse for killing a friend while in the throes of a crack-cocaine binge. Executed on August 25, as scheduled. Executed August 25, 2022

Richard Glossip (September 22, 2022; Oklahoma County – Rescheduled to May 18, 2023) maintains his innocence in the 1997 murder-for-hire of Barry Van Treese. An independent investigation found that police urged the perpetrator to say Glossip paid him to kill Van Treese. A box of evidence was destroyed, at the order of Oklahoma County prosecutors, before Glossip’s second trial.

Benjamin Cole (October 20, 2022; Rogers County) has brain damage and has been diagnosed with severe and chronic schizophrenia with catatonia. His attorneys have initiated proceedings to have him declared incompetent to be executed. Executed October 20, 2022

Richard Fairchild (November 17, 2022; Oklahoma County) experienced repeated head trauma as a teenager and has schizoaffective disorder. Evidence of his brain damage, which impaired his impulse control, was never presented to his jury. Executed November 17, 2022

John Hanson (December 15, 2022; Tulsa County) has multiple mental illnesses, brain damage, and autism. He was manipulated by his co-defendant, whose death sentence was overturned and is now serving a life sentence.

Scott Eizember (January 12, 2023; Canadian County) Executed January 12, 2023

Jemaine Cannon (March 9, 2023; Tulsa County. Rescheduled to July 20, 2023) was allowed to represent himself at trial, despite his severe mental illness.

Anthony Sanchez (April 6, 2023; Cleveland County, Rescheduled to September 21, 2023)

Phillip Hancock (May 4, 2023; Oklahoma County. Rescheduled to November 30, 2023) says he killed in self-defense, but his trial court refused to admit evidence relevant to his self-defense claim. His trial judge has been disqualified from multiple criminal cases due to her pro-prosecution bias.

James Ryder (June 1, 2023; Pittsburg County) has untreated paranoid schizophrenia. His jury heard no evidence of his illness, even though his delusions directly contributed to the crime. The District Attorney says that if she had known how severely mentally ill Ryder was, she would not have sought a death sentence.

Michael Smith (July 6, 2023; Oklahoma County) has lifelong documented intellectual disability, but was denied a hearing on the issue. He was 19 years old at the time of his arrest.

Wade Lay (August 3, 2023; Tulsa County) has schizophrenia, but his trial judge allowed him to represent himself without ever having him evaluated by mental health professionals.

Richard Rojem (October 5, 2023; Washington County)

Emmanuel Littlejohn (November 2, 2023; Oklahoma County) has lifelong brain damage as a result of his mother’s alcohol and drug abuse while pregnant. His jury did not hear evidence of his brain damage or his childhood of neglect and trauma.

Kevin Underwood (December 7, 2023; Cleveland County) has autism spectrum disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and bipolar II disorder, none of which were presented to the jury.

Wendell Grissom (January 11, 2024; Blaine County) has severe brain damage resulting from oxygen deprivation at birth and traumatic brain injuries during childhood. His brain damage affects his impulses and explosive behaviors, causing an otherwise non-violent person to commit a single crime for which he immediately showed great remorse.

Tremane Wood (February 8, 2024; Oklahoma County) was represented by an attorney who was addicted to cocaine, alcohol, and prescription pills at the time he represented Wood. The attorney presented no evidence in Wood’s defense. Wood was a lesser participant in a murder committed by his older brother, who confessed to the crime and is serving a life sentence.

Kendrick Simpson (March 7, 2024; Oklahoma County) has PTSD as a result of the trauma he experienced as a survivor of Hurricane Katrina. His trial court refused to admit evidence of his mental illness.

Raymond Johnson (May 2, 2024; Tulsa County) “is a devout Christian whose Indiana church deeply values his role in the life of their congregation.”

Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez (June 6, 2024; Oklahoma County) experienced sexual abuse, poverty, and homelessness during his childhood in Cuba, leaving him with PTSD and brain damage.

James Pavatt (July 11, 2024; Oklahoma County) is an 18-year Air Force veteran with no prior criminal record before the crime for which he was sentenced to death, where it is disputed whether he or his co-defendant was the shooter.

Clarence Goode, Jr. (August 8, 2024; Tulsa County) was sentenced to death while his co-defendants, who may have been the actual shooters, received life sentences.

Ronson Bush (September 5, 2024; Grady County)

Alfred Mitchell (October 3, 2024; Oklahoma County)

Marlon Harmon (December 5, 2024; Oklahoma County) was neglected and sexually abused during his childhood. His victim’s family did not want the death penalty, but prosecutors intentionally kept that information from the jury.