MCALESTER, Okla. — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) granted clemency to 46-year-old Tremane Wood on Thursday, acting at the last minute to spare from execution a man who was sentenced to death for a killing his brother admitted to committing.
Wood, who has spent more than 20 years on death row, was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Thursday morning. His case marks the second time Stitt has commuted a death sentence since entering office in 2019.
“This action reflects the same punishment his brother received for their murder of an innocent young man and ensures a severe punishment that keeps a violent offender off the streets forever,” Stitt said in a statement. An intervention from Stitt was Wood’s last chance of survival, as the Supreme Court declined earlier Thursday to review his case.
“In Oklahoma, we will continue to hold accountable those who commit violent crimes, delivering justice, safeguarding our communities, and respecting the rule of law,” Stitt said. “I pray for the family of Ronnie Wipf and for the surviving victim, Arnie [Kleinsasser]; they are models of Christian forgiveness and love.”
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