News & Commentary

I’ve had the opportunity to get to know the next man Oklahoma plans to kill, Kendrick Simpson. Kendrick and I have visited down on death row many times as I’ve worked with my colleagues and with Kendrick to improve conditions for all the guys on death row. It’s been a privilege to get to know Kendrick and, since you don’t have the same opportunity, I’d like to share my experience with you.

The ACLU OK Oklahoma's weekly policy and advocacy newsletter.

The ACLU OK Oklahoma's weekly policy and advocacy newsletter.

The ACLU OK Oklahoma's weekly policy and advocacy newsletter.

Julius Jones is seeking relief from his death sentence per a procedure clearly allowed by law and regulation.

Last weekend, violence at 6 Oklahoma facilities led to 36 people being injured so badly they had to be transported away from prison for treatment, and the death of a 27-year-old man.

"We applaud the news that executions are on hold in Oklahoma until the Spring of 2016," Kiesel said. "For the next few months at least, we can be grateful that the state has put away its instruments of death."

However, Kiesel said the organization finds it "extremely difficult to imagine that during the next few months the state will be able to demonstrate that it should be trusted with the most awesome power a people can cede to its government."

"That becomes increasingly less likely with the continued insistence on secrecy and resistance to independent oversight," he said. "We hope during this sobriety from state sponsored murder the people of Oklahoma and their elected representatives will seize the opportunity to reflect on the unavoidable failure of any system capital punishment."

Matt Whalen, Project Director

The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma is proud to announce the revitalization of the ACLU of Oklahoma Anti-Death Penalty Project. This project has been dormant for the past decade and members of t