Latest news with #MaryBowles
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Oklahoma prepares to execute a man transferred from federal custody by Trump officials
Oklahoma prepared to execute a man Thursday whose transfer to state custody was expedited by the Trump administration. John Fitzgerald Hanson, 61, is set to receive a lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. Hanson was sentenced to die after he was convicted of carjacking, kidnapping and killing a Tulsa woman in 1999. Hanson, whose name in some federal court records is George John Hanson, had been serving a life sentence in federal prison in Louisiana for several unrelated federal convictions. Federal officials transferred him to Oklahoma custody in March to follow through on President Donald Trump's sweeping executive order to more actively support the death penalty. Hanson's attorneys argued in a last-minute appeal that he did not receive a fair clemency hearing last month, claiming that one of the board members who denied him clemency was biased because he worked for the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office when Hanson was prosecuted. A district court judge this week temporary halted the execution, but an appeals court later cleared the way for it. The U.S. Supreme Court late Wednesday rejected a separate appeal that alleged a key witness testified against Hanson in exchange for favorable treatment from prosecutors in a criminal case, information that was never disclosed to his defense team. Prosecutors allege Hanson and accomplice, Victor Miller, kidnapped Mary Bowles from a Tulsa shopping mall. Prosecutors allege the pair drove Bowles to a gravel pit near Owasso, where Miller shot and killed property owner Jerald Thurman. The two then drove Bowles a short distance away, where Hanson shot and killed Bowles, according to prosecutors. Miller received a no-parole life prison sentence for his role in the crimes. During last month's clemency hearing, Hanson expressed remorse for his involvement in the crimes and apologized to the victims' families. 'I'm not an evil person,' Hanson said via a video link from the prison. 'I was caught in a situation I couldn't control. I can't change the past, but I would if I could.' Hanson's attorneys acknowledged he participated in the kidnapping and carjacking, but said there was no definitive evidence that he shot and killed Bowles. They painted Hanson as a troubled youth with autism and who was controlled and manipulated by the domineering Miller.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Oklahoma prepares to execute a man transferred from federal custody by Trump officials
McALESTER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma prepared to execute a man Thursday whose transfer to state custody was expedited by the Trump administration. John Fitzgerald Hanson, 61, is set to receive a lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. Hanson was sentenced to die after he was convicted of carjacking, kidnapping and killing a Tulsa woman in 1999. Hanson, whose name in some federal court records is George John Hanson, had been serving a life sentence in federal prison in Louisiana for several unrelated federal convictions. Federal officials transferred him to Oklahoma custody in March to follow through on President Donald Trump's sweeping executive order to more actively support the death penalty. Hanson's attorneys argued in a last-minute appeal that he did not receive a fair clemency hearing last month, claiming that one of the board members who denied him clemency was biased because he worked for the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office when Hanson was prosecuted. A district court judge this week temporary halted the execution, but an appeals court later cleared the way for it. The U.S. Supreme Court late Wednesday rejected a separate appeal that alleged a key witness testified against Hanson in exchange for favorable treatment from prosecutors in a criminal case, information that was never disclosed to his defense team. Prosecutors allege Hanson and accomplice, Victor Miller, kidnapped Mary Bowles from a Tulsa shopping mall. Prosecutors allege the pair drove Bowles to a gravel pit near Owasso, where Miller shot and killed property owner Jerald Thurman. The two then drove Bowles a short distance away, where Hanson shot and killed Bowles, according to prosecutors. Miller received a no-parole life prison sentence for his role in the crimes. During last month's clemency hearing, Hanson expressed remorse for his involvement in the crimes and apologized to the victims' families. 'I'm not an evil person,' Hanson said via a video link from the prison. 'I was caught in a situation I couldn't control. I can't change the past, but I would if I could.' Hanson's attorneys acknowledged he participated in the kidnapping and carjacking, but said there was no definitive evidence that he shot and killed Bowles. They painted Hanson as a troubled youth with autism and who was controlled and manipulated by the domineering Miller.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Oklahoma court clears the way for execution of a man convicted in a Tulsa woman's killing
An Oklahoma appeals court on Wednesday ordered a stay of execution to be lifted for a man on death row, clearing the way for him to receive a lethal injection for killing a Tulsa woman in 1999. John Fitzgerald Hanson, 61, has been scheduled to be put to death Thursday, but a district court judge temporarily halted the execution this week after Hanson's attorneys argued he didn't receive a fair clemency hearing before the state's Pardon and Parole Board. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ordered that temporary stay of execution be lifted. Hanson's attorneys had argued the 3-2 vote against recommending clemency was tainted because one of the members of the board had worked for the same district attorney's office that prosecuted his case. The Oklahoma Attorney General's Office maintained the district court judge didn't have the authority to issue a stay of execution. Hanson was sentenced to death in Tulsa County after he was convicted of carjacking, kidnapping and killing Mary Bowles. Authorities said he and an accomplice kidnapped the woman from a Tulsa shopping mall. Hanson had been serving a life sentence in federal prison in Louisiana for several unrelated federal conviction. But President Donald Trump 's administration expedited his transfer to Oklahoma custody in March, following through on a sweeping executive order to more actively support the death penalty.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Oklahoma court clears the way for execution of a man convicted in a Tulsa woman's killing
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma appeals court on Wednesday ordered a stay of execution to be lifted for a man on death row, clearing the way for him to receive a lethal injection for killing a Tulsa woman in 1999. John Fitzgerald Hanson, 61, has been scheduled to be put to death Thursday, but a district court judge temporarily halted the execution this week after Hanson's attorneys argued he didn't receive a fair clemency hearing before the state's Pardon and Parole Board. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ordered that temporary stay of execution be lifted. Hanson's attorneys had argued the 3-2 vote against recommending clemency was tainted because one of the members of the board had worked for the same district attorney's office that prosecuted his case. The Oklahoma Attorney General's Office maintained the district court judge didn't have the authority to issue a stay of execution. Hanson was sentenced to death in Tulsa County after he was convicted of carjacking, kidnapping and killing Mary Bowles. Authorities said he and an accomplice kidnapped the woman from a Tulsa shopping mall. Hanson had been serving a life sentence in federal prison in Louisiana for several unrelated federal conviction. But President Donald Trump's administration expedited his transfer to Oklahoma custody in March, following through on a sweeping executive order to more actively support the death penalty.
The Independent
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Inmate transferred to Oklahoma by Trump administration denied clemency, set to be executed
An Oklahoma board denied clemency on Wednesday for a man convicted of killing a Tulsa woman in 1999, clearing the way for his execution next month after the Trump administration expedited his transfer from a federal prison. Oklahoma's five-member Pardon and Parole Board voted 3-2 to reject clemency for 61-year-old John Fitzgerald Hanson. Hanson, whose name in some federal court records is George John Hanson, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection on June 12. Without a recommendation from the board, Gov. Kevin Stitt is unable to commute Hanson's sentence to life in prison without parole. Hanson was sentenced to death in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, after he was convicted of carjacking, kidnapping and killing Mary Bowles after he and an accomplice, Victor Miller, kidnapped the woman from a Tulsa shopping mall. Prosecutors allege the pair drove Bowles to a gravel pit near Owasso, where Miller shot and killed the property owner, Jerald Thurman. The two then drove Bowles a short distance away, where Hanson shot and killed Bowles, according to prosecutors. Miller received a no-parole life prison sentence for his role in the crimes. Hanson, who appeared before the board via a video link to the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, expressed remorse for his involvement in the crimes and apologized to the families of the victims. 'I'm not an evil person,' Hanson said. 'I was caught in a situation I couldn't control. I can't change the past, but I would if I could.' Hanson's attorneys acknowledged Hanson participated in the kidnapping and carjacking, but said there was no definitive evidence that he shot and killed Bowles. They painted Hanson as a troubled youth who suffered from autism spectrum disorder and who was controlled and manipulated by the domineering Miller. They also presented testimony from prison employees at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, Louisiana, that Hanson was a well-respected inmate with a good work ethic and a history of helping staff and other prisoners. Emma Rolls, the first assistant for the Federal Public Defender's office, described Hanson as 'a remorseful man who wants to do his time and stay away from mischief.' But prosecutors and family members of the victims cast doubt on the sincerity of Hanson's remorse. Sara Mooney, Mary Bowles' niece, told the board Hanson never attempted to contact her in the last 26 years to apologize or offer an explanation for his role in the crimes. 'If anything, he regrets being caught,' said Assistant Attorney General Michel Trapasso. Hanson was transferred to Oklahoma custody in March by federal officials following through on President Donald Trump's sweeping executive order to more actively support the death penalty. Both Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and his predecessor, John O'Connor, had sought Hanson's transfer during President Joe Biden's administration, but the U.S. Bureau of Prisons denied it, saying the transfer was not in the public interest. 'The Biden administration protected this monster from justice for too long,' Drummond told the board.
