Supreme Court denies appeals by death row inmate

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court denied appeals Tuesday by Oklahoma death row inmate William Clifford Bryson, paving the way for his execution early Thursday. <br><br>An application for a

Tuesday, June 13th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court denied appeals Tuesday by Oklahoma death row inmate William Clifford Bryson, paving the way for his execution early Thursday.

An application for a stay of execution was filed with Justice Stephen G. Breyer, who referred it to the full court. There was no dissent.

The court also turned down a separate original writ of habeas corpus.

The Oklahoma Attorney General's office said there were no other appeals pending for Bryson, who was convicted of the August 1988 murder of James Plantz, 33.

Bryson had conspired with Plantz's wife, Marilyn, to kill him in order to collect more than $300,000 in insurance money, prosecutors said. Bryson and Mrs. Plantz were having an affair.

Plantz was beaten with a baseball bat, driven in his truck to the outskirts of east Oklahoma City and set ablaze.

An Oklahoma County jury convicted Bryson and Mrs. Plantz and both were sentenced to death.

The state Pardon and Parole Board denied Bryson's request for clemency June 6 by a 4-0 vote.