Appeals Court Upholds Life Sentence In Tulsa Killing

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals upheld the life-without-parole sentence of a convicted Tulsa killer and denied his request for a new evidentiary hearing.

In a 5-0 opinion Thursday, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the sentences of George July, 51, who was sentenced to life without parole for first-degree murder and seven additional life sentences for other crimes.

July, who is now in the state penitentiary in McAlester was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2013 beating death of 34-year-old Quinton Shaver. He was also convicted of kidnapping, assault, battery with a deadly weapon, drug possession and possessing a firearm after a former felony conviction.

2/10/2015 Related Story: Tulsa Man Found Guilty Of Murder, Kidnapping

Among other things, July had claimed his trial attorney was ineffective for not calling an expert on methamphetamine psychosis, exacerbated by alcohol use.

A second defendant in the case, Angel Proctor was sentenced to life plus 45 years for her part in the murder. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.