Oklahoma City – The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended clemency on June 6, 2013, for Brian Darrell Davis, 38, scheduled to be executed on June 25, at 6 p.m. On June 13, 2013, Governor Mary Fallin denied clemency to Mr. Davis.
The Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (OK-CADP) joins Davis’ Family in urging Gov. Fallin to reconsider the Pardon & Parole Board’s recommendation. She has the authority to grant two 30-day reprieves in order to study the recommendation and meet with prosecution and defense attorneys.
The five-member board voted 4-1 to recommend that the death sentence of Mr. Davis be commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Davis, 38, was convicted by a Kay County jury of first-degree murder and first-degree rape in the November 2001 death of his girlfriend’s mother, Josephine Sanford, 52. He was sentenced to death on the murder charge and 100 years in prison for the rape.
The parole board recommended clemency after Davis took responsibility for the crime and apologized to the family of the victim. The board also took into consideration that Davis, an African American man, was convicted by an all-white jury of the rape and murder of a white woman.
Voting to recommend clemency were Marc Dreyer, Currie Ballard, Lynell Harkins and David Moore. Board member Richard Dugger cast the sole vote against clemency.
OK-CADP Board Chair, Collin Walke, is seeking a meeting with Governor Fallin to discuss the case.
Everyone is urged to send letters, faxes, emails, make phone calls to the Governor and SIGN OUR PETITION asking her to reconsider her decision to support the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommendation for clemency, and to commute Brian Darrell Davis’ death sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“We ask the public to urge Governor Mary Fallin to be merciful and adopt the recommendation of the Oklahoma Pardon & Parole Board,” said Walke. “Rather than disregard the strong 4 to 1 recommendation for clemency out of fear of criticism from those who do not temper vengeance with mercy.”
Davis has been in custody with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections since March 17, 2003.
“When someone is executed by the state, she or he is killed in my name,” said OK-CADP member Margaret Cox. “We all hold a responsibility not to let that happen. This action should not go unnoticed by the people of Oklahoma.”
Please contact Governor Fallin today to urge her to support the Oklahoma Pardon & Parole Board’s 4-1 vote for clemency for Brian Darrell Davis.
The Office of Governor Mary Fallin
Oklahoma State Capitol
2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Room 212
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Fax: 405-521-3353
Phone: 405-521-2342 or 405-522-8857
SIGN OUR PETITION
Tags: brian darrell davis, clemency, execution, Gov. Mary Fallin, oklahoma
