Emergency Stay Of Execution Denied For Man Convicted Of 2 Murders

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals unanimously denied an emergency stay of execution for Michael Dewayne Smith.

Smith was convicted and sentenced to death in two separate murders in 2002.

This was his third and final Emergency Request for Stay of Execution. OCCA previously denied his request and further affirmed District Judge Heather Coyle’s denial two weeks ago of Smith’s motion for post-conviction DNA testing.

The court issued its opinion on Tuesday, stating that further forensic testing would not undermine the confidence in Smith’s conviction. 

The court noted Smith “gave a very detailed, highly corroborated confession to police.” His confession was also corroborated by “two additional confessions and physical evidence from both crime scenes,” according to the order. 

The court further clarified Smith’s motives for the shooting deaths of Janet Moore, a 40-year-old mother and Sharath Pulluru, a 24-year-old store clerk, were also corroborated.

Smith is scheduled to be executed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary on April 4.

Related Coverage: Man Convicted In 2 Murders From 2002 Denied Clemency, Set To Be Executed In April