Oklahoma executes a man who was transferred from federal custody by Trump officials
Share this @internewscast.com

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma executed a man Thursday whose transfer to state custody was expedited by the Trump administration.

John Fitzgerald Hanson, aged 61, was executed by a three-drug lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, officials confirmed. He was pronounced dead at 10:11 a.m. Hanson faced the death penalty following his conviction for carjacking, kidnapping, and murdering a Tulsa woman back in 1999.

“Peace to everyone,” Hanson said while strapped to a gurney inside the prison’s death chamber.

The execution process initiated at 10:01 a.m. Once the lethal drugs were administered, a doctor entered the chamber at 10:06 a.m. to confirm that Hanson was unconscious.

In some federal court documents, Hanson is referred to as George John Hanson. He had been serving a life sentence in a federal prison in Louisiana for various unrelated federal offenses. In March, he was transferred to Oklahoma’s custody due to President Donald Trump’s significant executive order aimed at more rigorously enforcing 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 issued a temporary stay halting the execution, but that was later vacated.

Prosecutors alleged Hanson and accomplice Victor Miller kidnapped Mary Bowles from a Tulsa shopping mall. Prosecutors alleged 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.

Thurman’s son, Jacob Thurman, witnessed Thursday’s execution and said it was the culmination of “the longest nightmare of our lives.”

“All families lose in this situation,” he said. “No one’s a winner.”

Bowles’ niece, Sara Mooney, expressed frustration at the litigation over Hanson’s death sentence that dragged on for decades, calling it an “expensive and ridiculous exercise.”

“Capital punishment is not an effective form of justice when it takes 26 years,” she said.

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.

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.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Retired math teacher, 75, stabbed to death by 'mentally ill' tenant inside NYC apartment: neighbor

Retired 75-Year-Old Math Teacher Tragically Killed in NYC Apartment; Neighbor Reports Tenant’s Mental Health Issues

A tragic scene unfolded in a Queens apartment building as a 75-year-old…
Minnesota police sergeant, father of two, dies suddenly after brain infection

Tragic Loss: Minnesota Police Sergeant and Beloved Father of Two Passes Away from Sudden Brain Infection

In a tragic turn of events, a dedicated Minnesota police sergeant and…
Israel bombs Iran's top mullahs as they count votes for next supreme leader

Israeli Strikes Target Key Iranian Leaders Amid Crucial Supreme Leader Vote

Reports indicate that the Israeli Air Force conducted an airstrike on Wednesday…
Dramatic video appears to show downed F-15 pilot being threatened by pipe-wielding Kuwaiti

Shocking Footage: Downed F-15 Pilot Confronted by Pipe-Wielding Kuwaiti in Tense Standoff

A gripping video circulating online captures the tense moments when a Kuwaiti…
NY haunted by closing of nuke power plant as energy bills soar, green mandates spark chaos

Skyrocketing Energy Bills and Green Mandates Stir Chaos in NY After Nuclear Plant Closure

New Yorkers are feeling the heat in their energy bills, a consequence…
Texas DA says no charges for police in terror attack response, amid criticism of mandatory grand jury review

Texas DA Declares Police Exonerated in Terror Attack Response Amid Controversy Over Mandatory Grand Jury Evaluation

A progressive district attorney in Texas has announced that no charges will…
Goon sets sleeping man on fire inside Penn Station as ghoulish pals look on: cops

Man Set on Fire in Disturbing Penn Station Incident While Onlookers Watch: Police Report

In a shocking incident at Penn Station, a pyromaniac attacked a sleeping…
Bay Area weatherman Spencer Christian shares story behind sudden absence

Bay Area Meteorologist Spencer Christian Reveals Shocking Reason for Recent Disappearance

An admired Bay Area weatherman mysteriously disappeared from broadcasts earlier this month,…
Florida deputy's body camera takes bullet, likely saving his life in shooting with armed suspect

Heroic Florida Deputy Survives Shooting Thanks to Life-Saving Body Camera in Armed Confrontation

“If you don’t believe in God, you believe in him tonight,” declared…
Pennsylvania bus driver charged with endangering dozens of elementary students while intoxicated

Pennsylvania Bus Driver Faces Charges for Allegedly Endangering Elementary Students While Intoxicated

A troubling incident in Pennsylvania has come to light involving a school…
Mamdani admin admits 7 other New Yorkers died indoors from cold, as grim tally reaches 29

Mamdani Administration Confirms Indoor Cold-Related Deaths in New York, Bringing Total to 29

In a sobering update, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration has confirmed that an…
Asking Eric: Cheating ex returns; asks for second chance

Eric’s Dilemma: Former Partner Seeks Reconciliation After Infidelity

Dear Eric: I was married for several years to a woman who,…