Oklahoma prison inmate convicted of killing cellmate is sentenced to death

(McAlester-AP) -- The state Court of Criminal Appeals is upholding the death penalty for a state prison inmate who killed his cellmate, despite the objection of the victim's mother.<br><br>John David

Tuesday, April 27th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(McAlester-AP) -- The state Court of Criminal Appeals is upholding the death penalty for a state prison inmate who killed his cellmate, despite the objection of the victim's mother.

John David Duty asked for the death penalty after pleading guilty to killing Curtis Wise in December 2001 in the disciplinary unit of the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. The appeals court is required to review all death penalty cases.

Duty says he knows he'll never get out of prison and execution is the best thing for him.

Wise's mother said she doesn't want Duty to just go to sleep with a needle in his arm and says she hopes he lives to be 110.

When Wise was killed, Duty was already serving life without parole for convictions including rape, kidnapping and shooting with intent to kill.