Governor Stitt Denies Recommended Clemency
Oklahoma executed its fourth and final death row inmate of 2023 on Thursday morning.
Phillip Hancock, 59, was executed via lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester and pronounced dead at 11:29 a.m. on Thursday.
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 3-2 to recommend clemency for Hancock, but Gov. Kevin Stitt rejected the recommendation on the morning of the execution.
Stitt has only granted clemency once - in the case of Julius Jones in 2021.
Hancock was found guilty of the 2001 murders of Robert Jett and James Lynch. He claimed he acted in self-defense.
This was the 11th execution in the state since the moratorium on the death penalty ended in 2021.
Oklahoma County Considering More Sites For New Jail
The site for the new Oklahoma County correctional facility is still far from being finalized.
Oklahoma County commissioners met Wednesday to discuss the potential location for the new jail.
The county's plans for a new jail face uncertainty as the proposed site near Will Rogers Airport awaits approval from the F-A-A.
During Wednesday’s meeting, county commissioners discussed adding more sites to a list of where the future county jail could be built.
They've offered the Airport Trust $2.5 million for land near Newcastle Road and SW 54th, but haven't gotten a response.
Last week commissioners reintroduced three sites to the list of possibilities.
One of those locations being land near NE 10th and I-35, but opposition emerged at Wednesday's meeting.
Residents voiced concerns about its proximity to several community facilities.
Commissioners plan to meet again on Monday to discuss more potential locations
Norman Public Schools Begins Partnership with Tulsa Community College
Norman Public Schools is partnering with Tulsa Community College to offer associate degrees to high school students.
NPS says students will be able to earn the degree by the time they graduate from high school.
School officials say the program will be virtual and utilize an open-source curriculum, meaning there will be little to no cost for books.
NPS will begin the program in the 2024-25 school year.
OU Testing New PTSD Drug
University of Oklahoma researchers are taking part in trials for a drug that could help treat PTSD symptoms.
So far, current findings are promising.
The drug is similar to medication used to treat opioid use disorders. But, based on preclinical trials, it appears to more effectively relieve pain and stress-induced anxiety while managing cravings for alcohol.
The drug is also not addictive.
OU professor Kelly Standifer is leading OU’s portion of the trial.
The U.S. Department of Defense is funding her collaborative research with Florida Atlantic University and Phoenix PharmaLabs.
She said only two drugs are FDA-approved for PTSD treatment, and they only work for about 30% of patients.
“This would be a completely different drug class to add to that market,” Standifer said.
OU should finish its initial tests by May or June.
If the program continues to yield positive results, it could apply for a bigger grant to test the drug.
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