Gov. Brad Henry has granted clemency to a death row inmate and commuted his sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Henry took the action Wednesday in the case of Richard Tandy Smith.
Smith was originally sentenced to death for the 1986 shooting of John Cederland during an alleged drug deal. In March, the Pardon and Parole Board approved a clemency recommendation for Smith and forwarded it to the governor for consideration.
Henry says granting clemency was a difficult decision. He says he's reluctant to intervene in a capital case and respects a jury's verdict, the prosecutors who tried the case and the victim's family.
But after reviewing the evidence, Henry says he thinks the Pardon and Parole Board made a proper recommendation.
Source: Associated Press, May 20, 2010
Press Release from the Governor's Office:
"Governor Brad Henry today approved clemency for death row inmate Richard Tandy Smith, commuting his sentence to life without the possibility of parole as recommended by the State Pardon and Parole Board.
"This was a very difficult decision and one that I did not take lightly," said Gov. Henry. "I am always reluctant to intervene in a capital case, and I am very respectful of a jury's verdict, the prosecutors who tried the case and the victim's family who suffered because of the crime.
"However, after reviewing all of the evidence and hearing from both prosecutors and defense attorneys, I decided the Pardon and Parole Board made a proper recommendation to provide clemency and commute the death sentence.
"As a result, Richard Smith will be punished by serving the rest of his life behind bars without the possibility of parole."
Smith was originally sentenced to death for the 1986 shooting of John Cederland during an alleged drug deal. In March, the Pardon and Parole board approved a clemency recommendation for Smith and forwarded it to the governor for consideration.
Before making his decision on the board’s recommendation, Gov. Henry personally interviewed both prosecutors and defense attorneys and reviewed Smith's case file and all related information pertaining to his clemency hearing.
This is only the 3rd time during his tenure in office that Gov. Henry has granted clemency in a death penalty case. In all of those cases, the sentences were commuted to life without parole."
"This was a very difficult decision and one that I did not take lightly," said Gov. Henry. "I am always reluctant to intervene in a capital case, and I am very respectful of a jury's verdict, the prosecutors who tried the case and the victim's family who suffered because of the crime.
"However, after reviewing all of the evidence and hearing from both prosecutors and defense attorneys, I decided the Pardon and Parole Board made a proper recommendation to provide clemency and commute the death sentence.
"As a result, Richard Smith will be punished by serving the rest of his life behind bars without the possibility of parole."
Smith was originally sentenced to death for the 1986 shooting of John Cederland during an alleged drug deal. In March, the Pardon and Parole board approved a clemency recommendation for Smith and forwarded it to the governor for consideration.
Before making his decision on the board’s recommendation, Gov. Henry personally interviewed both prosecutors and defense attorneys and reviewed Smith's case file and all related information pertaining to his clemency hearing.
This is only the 3rd time during his tenure in office that Gov. Henry has granted clemency in a death penalty case. In all of those cases, the sentences were commuted to life without parole."
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