OKLAHOMA CITY — Attorneys for James Coddington asked Oklahoma's Pardon and Parole Board on Friday for clemency ahead of his scheduled execution.
The state is set to resume executions for this year with Coddington on Aug. 25. He is sentenced to die for the 1997 hammer killing in Choctaw of co-worker Albert Hale, who prosecutors said had refused to lend Coddington $50 to buy drugs.
A U.S. District Court judge ruled in June that Oklahoma can continue with its executions by lethal injection after the process was put on hold to judge whether the state's protocols were constitutional.
One of Mr. Coddington’s attorneys, Emma Rolls says, “If our society believes in the principle of redemption, then James Coddington’s life must be spared. The man the jury convicted and sentenced to death no longer exists. If anyone is deserving of mercy, James Coddington is."
The attorneys also cite that Coddington is remorseful of his crimes and has the support of former Oklahoma Department of Corrections Director Justin Jones in his attempt for clemency.
A clemency hearing for Coddington's case is happening on July 26. If denied clemency or a commutation of his sentence, the state will resume Coddington's execution as planned the next month.
Trending Stories:
- Tulsa Public School Board meeting packed after disagreements this week
- DOWNLOAD the 2 News Oklahoma app for alerts
- COVID-19 surging in Tulsa County as subvariants spread nationwide
- FOLLOW 2 News Oklahoma on Facebook
- Tulsa police shoot at man on Highway 11 near airport
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter
