Oklahoma is set to carry out the execution of Michael DeWayne Smith, a death row inmate convicted of the shooting deaths of two individuals in Oklahoma City over twenty years ago. Smith, 41, is facing execution by lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary for the murders of Janet Moore, 41, and Sharath Pulluru, 22, in separate incidents that occurred in February 2022.
Smith's execution, scheduled for Thursday, will mark the first execution in Oklahoma in 2024 and the 12th since the resumption of capital punishment in 2021. Despite Smith's repeated requests for an emergency stay of execution being denied by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, he maintains his innocence, expressing remorse to the victims' families during a clemency hearing.
Prosecutors argue that Smith, identified as a gang member, committed the murders as acts of revenge. They claim he mistakenly targeted Moore's son and later killed Pulluru over a perceived disrespect to his gang. Smith's defense attorney asserts that his client is intellectually disabled due to prolonged drug use and should be spared from execution.
A group opposing the death penalty plans to protest outside the Governor's Mansion in Oklahoma City, urging Governor Kevin Stitt to intervene and halt the execution. Smith's family has also petitioned the governor, citing new evidence suggesting witness coercion during the trial.
The execution is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. local time, with the protest set to begin at 9:00 a.m. as supporters seek to prevent Smith's execution and advocate for a reconsideration of his case.
