James Coddington Executed

Another execution without a final Supreme Court order beforehand. This is somewhat depressing though it is probably good policy not to have to worry about some last minute long-shot litigation with the rather morbid death watch now easier to do online. There is sometimes grounds for a late appeal. Nonetheless, I think it's good policy to make sure they are complete by forty eight hours before the execution. The state then has plenty of time to set things up.

James Coddington was executed by Oklahoma, which has a record in recent years of flubbing executions. Oklahoma also has a goal to play catch-up and execute twenty-five people in twenty eight months. This one was done over the recommendation of the Pardon and Parole Board, over twenty-five years after his crime:

Plans for Mr. Coddington’s execution were thrown into doubt for a time when the state’s Pardon and Parole Board recommended on Aug. 3 that his life be spared. An unusual coalition had formed over the past several weeks to oppose the execution, including a former director of the Oklahoma prison system and a Republican who once served as the speaker of the state’s House of Representatives. Both said that Mr. Coddington had rehabilitated himself and was far different from who he was when he committed the crime.

A son of the victim did not agree with this assessment, not really surprisingly, having a different opinion regarding execution than the children of another victim in a recently apparently botched somehow execution. Such sentiments are noteworthy -- to the degree we wish to know the full story, it's part of the humanity involved to respect and understand the victims' family -- but clearly not consistent. 

The murder arose when a twenty-something guy, apparently [the article cites the murderer, but if not true, figure they'd comment] high on cocaine, murdered an old man with a hammer after he wouldn't give him $50 for drugs. As these things go, even if someone gives a drugged up person money (or someone not so drugged up), they might be murdered as a witness.  Criminals of this sort are violently in the moment.

The crime deserved punishment and separating the person who committed it from regular society.  This happened.  The guy was in prison for over twenty years when he was executed.  The pardon and parole board aren't a bunch of softies either. If they figured that by his actions (which provides an incentive to those inside prison) he deserved at least not to be executed, I'm inclined to agree with them.  The governor decided to go another way.

This tenth execution of 2022 was not in my book somehow a horrible travesty.  Some pure of heart death penalty opponents would say so.  I think all the same it was bad policy and more troubling than some because of that vote to spare his life. If you are not a pure opponent (I'm not a great fan of the word "abolitionist" since it seems extreme, but I guess that's valid on some level), the facts here provide grounds to determine this is one of those cases where an execution should not occur.  

The line sometimes used is that a person should not be judged in an absolute way for the worst act of their lives.  Or something like that. The board here decided to follow that approach.  It encourages good behavior in prison and personal redemption of some sort.  Again, the governor went another way.  That is bad, even if the death of some murderer might not impress some much in way of moral wrongs.