Oklahoma set to carry out first execution of 2024
Michael DeWayne Smith was sentenced to death for two 2002 Oklahoma County murders.
A judge says ‘suck it up’ after executions put strain on Oklahoma prison staff
State leaders have asked the court for 90 days between executions to combat trauma, staffing shortages and reduce the potential for errors.
One prisoner called 911 for help at an understaffed Oklahoma prison
Like many states, Oklahoma is facing a staffing shortage in prisons, causing a dangerous environment for prisoners and overworked corrections officers.
Why Oklahoma prisons are seeing a spike in overdose deaths
The Department of Corrections is combatting staffing shortages, fentanyl and a constant stream of contraband smuggled into state prisons. Not all facilities have treatment programs to help.
Listen Frontier: Reporter Ashlynd Huffman talks about her story on Oklahoma’s anti-red flag law
Hear from Frontier reporter Ashlynd Huffman and Tara Currin, the subject of Huffman’s story on Oklahoma’s anti-red flag law.
Five things to know about domestic violence and guns in Oklahoma
Guns are the leading cause of domestic violence homicides, but the state lacks a red-flag law that would let law enforcement seize weapons with a court order.
A criminal record and protective orders didn’t stop her attacker from having a gun
Firearms have been the leading cause of domestic violence homicides in Oklahoma since 1998. The state’s anti-red flag law bans any efforts to seize weapons by court order.
Oklahoma carries out final execution of 2023
Phillip Dean Hancock, 59, was put to death for the 2001 murders of two men in Oklahoma City. He is the 11th person executed since the state resumed use of the death penalty in 2021.
