Veterans rally for death row airman as clemency hearing nears

A former U.S. Air Force airman convicted of murdering his lover's husband in 2001 has drawn support from roughly 100 military veterans ahead of a clemency hearing that could determine whether his execution goes forward next month, according to Military.com.

Snapshot

The veteran, now 72, was convicted and sentenced to death for the 2001 killing of the estranged husband of the woman he was involved with. He appeared before the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board on Oct. 14, with his execution currently scheduled for Nov. 12. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond's office has detailed a long-planned murder motivated by money and a love affair, while veterans backing him point to his military record as grounds for mercy.

Key points

• The crime: Prosecutors say the two plotted for months before he shot the victim twice in his garage in November 2001, using a gun that had been given to the victim by his grandfather.
• The state's position: Drummond said the victim was "gunned down in his own garage, feet from the children he loved," and has argued the veteran still has not told the full truth about the killing.
• Veteran support: Attorneys for the veteran say about 100 veterans, representing an estimated 750 years of combined service, signed a letter urging the board to spare his life, citing his record as an airman.
• Notable voices: Assistant federal public defender Hunter Labovitz said the group includes generals, including a former Air Force chief of staff, while retired Navy Capt. Art C. Cody called his service record "extraordinarily distinguished."
• What's next: The Pardon and Parole Board's decision will determine whether his Nov. 12 execution date, one day after Veterans Day, proceeds as scheduled.

Quick take

This case puts military service and a brutal crime on the same ledger, and the clemency board now has to weigh both. The veterans backing him are making a case about who he was in uniform; the state is making a case about what he did to the victim. Readers who follow service records and military justice closely will want the full detail behind both arguments.

Read the full story: military.com