Oklahoma board cites execution flaws, recommends clemency

Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted Wednesday to recommend clemency for a death row inmate after questioning state’s execution methods.

board, by a 3-2 vote, recommended that Gov. Kevin Stitt commute sentence of Bigler Jobe Stouffer, 79, to life without parole, despite several saying y were convinced of Stouffer's guilt.

Spokespersons for Stitt, a Republican, did t immediately respond to a request for comment.

board ted that a federal lawsuit challenging state’s three-drug lethal injection protocol is to begin in February and Oct. 28 execution of John Marion Grant, in which Grant vomited and convulsed after sedative midazolam was ministered.

“ last four (executions) if you go back six or seven years w, well that process is obviously flawed. We've h individuals on table suffering for 20 and 30 minutes," said board member Larry Morris, who voted for clemency recommendation.

“I don't think that any humane society ought to be executing people that way, until we figure out how to do it right,” Morris said.

Board members said y are convinced of guilt of Stouffer, who is t part of federal lawsuit and maintained his incence during a video appearance before board.

Stouffer was convicted and sentenced to die for shooting death of Linda Reaves and, girlfriend of estranged husband of Bigler’s girlfriend. He was also convicted of shooting and wounding estranged husband, Doug Ivens.

Stouffer borrowed a gun from Ivens, n fatally shot Reaves and wounded Ivens in an attempt to gain access to Ivens' $2 million life insurance policy, according to prosecutors.