Oklahoma's top prosecutor has formally requested the federal Bureau of Prisons to transfer an inmate to state custody for the purpose of carrying out his death sentence. The inmate in question, George John Hanson, was convicted in 1999 for his involvement in the kidnapping and murder of a 77-year-old woman named Mary Bowles.
Hanson, who is currently serving a life sentence for various federal convictions, including carjacking and kidnapping, was sentenced to death in Tulsa County, Oklahoma. The Attorney General's request for Hanson's transfer comes in light of President Donald Trump's recent executive order aimed at bolstering support for the death penalty.
Previous attempts to transfer Hanson to state custody were met with resistance during the Biden administration, with the Bureau of Prisons citing reasons of public interest for denying the request. Attorney General Drummond criticized this decision as obstructing the execution of a capital sentence.
Oklahoma has faced challenges in resuming executions following a moratorium due to issues with lethal injections in 2014 and 2015. Since resuming executions in October 2021, the state has put 15 inmates to death, with the next scheduled execution set for March 20.
The Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on the recent transfer request, citing privacy, safety, and security concerns related to inmates' conditions of confinement and transfers.