Last-Minute Reprieve from Execution
An Oklahoma inmate scheduled for lethal injection on Thursday received a dramatic last-minute reprieve from Governor Kevin Stitt, only to be hospitalised hours later after being found unresponsive in his prison cell.
Tremane Wood, 46, was preparing for execution when the governor commuted his sentence to life without parole. The decision came after the victim's family expressed support for clemency, with Governor Stitt citing their 'Christian forgiveness and love' in his official statement.
Medical Emergency After Clemency
Hours after his sentence was commuted and following a visit with his attorneys, prison guards discovered Wood unresponsive during a routine cell check. Department of Corrections spokeswoman Kay Thompson confirmed the incident occurred at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.
Prison officials determined that dehydration and stress caused Wood's medical emergency. By Thursday evening, he was reported as stable and alert. In a recorded interview released by the Department of Corrections, Wood described losing consciousness in his cell.
'I didn't have all my senses,' Wood said in the recording. 'I woke up in the infirmary with my head busted and my lip busted, and that's pretty much it right there.'
Wood confirmed he hadn't eaten since the previous day but denied any attempt to harm himself. He expressed gratitude toward Governor Stitt, saying: 'Tell Governor Stitt I said 'thank you.''
Complex Case History
Wood was convicted for the 2001 fatal stabbing of 19-year-old Ronnie Wipf during a botched robbery. However, Wood maintained that his brother, who later died while serving a life sentence for the murder, was the actual killer.
The case saw significant developments in recent weeks:
- Oklahoma's Pardon and Parole Board voted 3-2 to recommend clemency
- Several Republican lawmakers urged Governor Stitt to grant clemency
- The victim's family, who grew up in a Hutterite religious community in Montana, supported the decision
This marks only the second time Governor Stitt has granted clemency during his nearly seven years in office. The governor imposed strict conditions, ensuring Wood will never be eligible for commutation, pardon or parole.
Wood's attorney, Amanda Bass Castro Alves, expressed profound gratitude for the decision, stating: 'This decision honours the wishes of Mr. Wipf´s family and the surviving victim, and we hope it allows them a measure of peace.'
However, not all officials supported the decision. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond stated he was 'disappointed that the governor has granted clemency for this dangerous murderer' while respecting the governor's authority.
Broader Execution Context
The reprieve for Wood occurred on the same day South Carolina executed mass killer Stephen Bryant by firing squad. Bryant, 44, was convicted for killing three people during an eight-day crime spree in 2004.
Bryant chose firing squad due to issues obtaining lethal injection drugs, becoming the third person in South Carolina to die by this method this year. His final appeals were rejected by the state's Supreme Court.
In Oklahoma, Governor Stitt has overseen 16 executions during his tenure while rejecting clemency recommendations in four other cases. The state continues to grapple with the complexities of capital punishment amid ongoing legal and ethical debates.
