Victims Fear Reliving Tragedies In Court After Expansion Of Tribal Jurisdiction Ruling

An Owasso woman is speaking out after one of the men convicted of murdering her three loved ones is now expected to have his case dismissed because of the recent Supreme Court ruling on tribal jurisdiction.

Tess Williams said even though it was 16 years ago, it feels like just yesterday that she was at court, listening to the terrible details of her family's murders. She said the possibility of having to go through that again, is almost too painful to bear.

"It's just devastating," WIlliams said. "I remember the phone call, the drive and all of the emotions."

16 years is not enough time for Williams to forget the night her niece Kayla, sister Tara and Tara's husband were all shot and killed in their home. 

"My niece was too much older than my daughter they were best friends, and she was so bubbly! She played softball and basketball and she was a cheerleader. She did everything. My sister was 24 and had a full life ahead her, both did," Williams said. 

Clarence Goode was one of the three men convicted for the murders. A jury gave him the death penalty. He is now challenging the state's jurisdiction, saying he's part Native American and the crime happened on Cherokee Nation land. His case will most be likely be dismissed and retried in federal court.

"I'm the only living blood relation to them and to think about having to relive all this over again and not knowing what the turnout is going to be, it's scary," Williams said.  

Heather Prater is the director of Tulsa County's victim witness center and knows how hard this new process is.

"It's heartbreaking. I think that there are going to be some people that are going to be extremely unhappy with whatever the result is. That can sometimes look like somebody falling through the cracks, But, I can say we are doing our very best to make sure everybody is informed," Prater said. 

Williams said she is afraid, now that a key witness in the case has died, Goode may not be convicted again or if he is, not get the same punishment.

"That's my hope and prayer, that they do find him guilty and at least he sentenced to life," Williams said. 

President Biden has said he wants to do away with federal death penalty if that happens and good convicted, the harshest sentence he could get would be life in prison.