The Oklahoma Department of Corrections announced this week it has commuted the death sentence of inmate Tremane Wood, who was set to be executed by lethal injection on November 13. A lottery had selected five media representatives to witness the execution from which one would get to watch the actual killing. In the end, however, none were needed.
Wood was convicted of murdering a 19-year-old in 2002 and had spent over 20 years behind bars awaiting his fate. His brother Jake received life in prison for his role in the murder while Wood's lawyer admitted to being unprepared and under the influence at the time of his trial.
The US Supreme Court denied clemency on November 10, leaving the governor with an easy decision, but he chose not to make one and so the execution was cancelled. Wood had been confined for most of that time in solitary confinement. In a note to his family just days before, he wrote that he hoped his case would bring some change.
For many who have covered death row cases over the years, the spectacle is familiar. The condemned man is usually given the chance to eat and write farewell letters. However, Oklahoma does not use drugs which fully anesthetize prisoners during executions. Instead it uses midazolam a sedative followed by a paralytic that leaves them unable to move or scream.
The Supreme Court's decision effectively ensured that Wood would live out the rest of his life behind bars. But questions about why officials waited until the last minute to announce this commutation remain unanswered.
Wood was convicted of murdering a 19-year-old in 2002 and had spent over 20 years behind bars awaiting his fate. His brother Jake received life in prison for his role in the murder while Wood's lawyer admitted to being unprepared and under the influence at the time of his trial.
The US Supreme Court denied clemency on November 10, leaving the governor with an easy decision, but he chose not to make one and so the execution was cancelled. Wood had been confined for most of that time in solitary confinement. In a note to his family just days before, he wrote that he hoped his case would bring some change.
For many who have covered death row cases over the years, the spectacle is familiar. The condemned man is usually given the chance to eat and write farewell letters. However, Oklahoma does not use drugs which fully anesthetize prisoners during executions. Instead it uses midazolam a sedative followed by a paralytic that leaves them unable to move or scream.
The Supreme Court's decision effectively ensured that Wood would live out the rest of his life behind bars. But questions about why officials waited until the last minute to announce this commutation remain unanswered.
so i'm not surprised they cancelled the execution, it's like they're trying to avoid some kinda accountability, you know? all these years he's been rotting in prison and now that the SC is done with him, it just conveniently gets dropped. what's good for Wood isn't always what's right, imo... 
Still, good to see Tremane Wood won't be taking a final breath in Oklahoma! 
... 20 yrs in the hole for Tre Wood, that's a long time to sit in solitary confinement, no wonder he was unprepared at trial. midazolam? that's pretty sketchy, I guess it's better than nothing 
... but still, hope his case does bring some change, like he said 
... gotta wonder what went on behind the scenes tho 
i mean tremane wood has been on death row 4eva and ppl thought for sure he was gonna get the needle. but like literally nobody even got to witness it cuz his case got commuted lol. i feel bad 4 jake wood tho, his bro went down 4 life 4 bein involved in the murder. and dont even get me started on tremane's lawyer, they were soooo unprepared 
. anywayz, its def a twist that the governor didnt wanna make a decision 2 days b4. i guess u could say its a win 4 tremane and his fam, but ppl r still askin wat took so long 2 annouce this commutation?? 
. I mean, I get that everyone makes mistakes and whatnot, but 20 years in solitary confinement for Tremane Wood is just crazy 
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. I guess some people might say it was just a matter of timing and politics, but... I don't know, man, it feels like there should be more transparency or something 
.
. That's the kind of thing that makes you wanna think about the bigger picture and stuff.
and what's even more crazy is that these executions are starting to feel like some kinda twisted spectator sport 
they're always trying to find ways to make death row more "efficient" like midazolam and paralytic or whatever... it just feels so clinical 