Clemency Denied For Death Row Inmate Donald Grant

The Oklahoma State Pardon and Parole Board has voted 4-1 to deny clemency for death row inmate Donald Grant.

The Pardon and Parole board has recommended clemency for the past two death row inmates that were part of hearings.

The Pardon and Parole board said in previous decisions that they were concerned with the drugs used in executions.

Grant was convicted of killing two women at a LaQuinta Inn in Del City back in 2001. His attorneys are arguing that he should not be on a death row due to his upbringing and mental capacity, citing that Grant suffers from schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.

His lawyers continue to say it took the state five years to medicate him sufficiently to restore his competency to stand trial.

As for the pardon and parole board, they have recently granted the last two death row inmates' clemency. The most recent, Bigler Stouffer, not because they believe he is innocent, but due to problems surrounding the state's current three drug cocktail and the upcoming lawsuit against it that beings in February.

“I am dumbfounded that we are even dealing with any of these cases, because they would be exposed to the same drug cocktail,” said Larry Morris, a member of the board.

Grant's clemency hearing is one of two this week, other Oklahoma Death row inmate Gilbert Postelle has his Wednesday morning. He is set to be executed in February of next year.