State Of Oklahoma To Execute James Coddington For 1997 Murder

The State of Oklahoma will resume executions on Thursday morning for the first time since January.

James Coddington is set to be put to death for killing his co-worker and friend, 73-year-old Albert Hale, in 1997.

Coddington has been on death row for more than 20 years for killing Navy veteran Albert Hale with a hammer because Hale wouldn't give him money for drugs.

Earlier in August, against the wishes of Hale's family, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 3 to 2 to spare Coddington's life and give him clemency. But, Governor Kevin Stitt denied that recommendation on Wednesday, meaning Coddington's execution will move forward as scheduled.

Coddington and his attorney have argued that he is a changed man and is not the same addict who killed Hale back in 1997.

This will be the first execution since a federal judge ruled back in June that the states execution method does not violate death row inmates constitutional rights.

28 death row inmates had filed a federal lawsuit arguing the states lethal injection cocktail is cruel and unusual punishment, but after a six day trial this spring, a judge disagreed.

Coddington is the first of 25 death row inmates scheduled to be executed by the state by the end of 2024.

Coddington is set to be executed at 10 a.m. on Thursday.