Oklahoma Governor Stitt Grants Clemency to Death Row Inmate Tremane Wood
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt granted clemency to death row inmate Tremane Wood, commuting his sentence to life without parole just before his scheduled execution.
Overview
- Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt granted clemency to death row inmate Tremane Wood, commuting his sentence to life in prison without parole just hours before his scheduled execution.
- The clemency decision followed a recommendation from the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, which voted in favor of sparing Wood's life in a close decision.
- Wood was convicted for the 2001 murder of Ronnie Wipf during an Oklahoma City hotel robbery, though his attorneys argued his brother was the actual killer.
- At his clemency hearing, Wood admitted to robbery and prison misconduct, but denied stabbing Wipf, instead blaming his older brother for the murder.
- This marks Governor Stitt's second clemency grant since taking office, following Julius Jones in 2021, despite his rejections of other clemency recommendations.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover this story neutrally, focusing on factual reporting of the clemency decision. They present the governor's statement, the details of the crime, and the victim's family's religious opposition without injecting editorial bias or loaded language, allowing readers to form their own conclusions based on the presented facts.
Articles (5)
FAQ
Governor Stitt granted clemency following the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board's close recommendation to spare Wood's life, commuting his death sentence to life without parole.
Tremane Wood was convicted for the 2001 murder of Ronnie Wipf during a robbery in Oklahoma City, but his attorneys argued that his brother, who confessed to the murder, was the actual killer.
Wood, who is bi-racial, was convicted by a nearly all-white jury with only one Black juror who later stated she felt pressured to vote for the death penalty; racial prejudice has been cited as a significant factor in the trial.
Wood's defense counsel was described as ineffective, having been paid only a modest fee and failing to present mitigating evidence related to Wood's traumatic childhood and racial issues impacting the case.
This is Governor Stitt's second clemency grant since taking office, with the first being Julius Jones in 2021, despite Stitt having rejected other clemency recommendations.
History
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