Whether Oklahoma can proceed with death penalty now in hands of US Supreme Court

Oklahoma death row inmate John Grant was scheduled to be put to death Thursday afternoon.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma's first execution since 2015 was scheduled for Thursday afternoon, but an appeals court granted a last-minute stay for two death row inmates.

The state's death penalty and whether it can proceed is now in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court as Oklahoma death row inmate John Grant was set to be put to death at 4 p.m. Thursday at the state penitentiary in McAlester. At this point, it's unclear if the execution will take place.

The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday granted a stay of execution for Grant and high-profile inmate Julius Jones.

Both are suing Oklahoma over the use of a drug, midazolam, which is used in executions.

The federal appeals court said it would violate the inmates' rights to put them to death while their lawsuit is still pending.

It wasn't long after the decision to halt executions that Oklahoma Attorney General John O'Connor filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court.

"We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will vacate the stay so that justice can finally be served for the people of Oklahoma, including the families of the victims of these horrific crimes," O'Connor said.

If the U.S. Supreme Court votes to reinstate the death penalty, Grant will be put to death for murdering an Oklahoma corrections center employee more than 20 years ago.

If that happens, it will be Oklahoma's first execution in six years.

Source: koco.com, Abigail Ogle, October 28, 2021

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