Print News for the Heart of our City. Volume 54, Issue 6 June 2016 Read us daily at www.city-sentinel.com Ten Cents Page 3 Page 5 Page 9 OK-CADP analyzes grand jury report Reader Poll: The Death Penalty – why or why not? Brightmusic’s Spring Chamber Festival - June 3-5 AG Pruitt says Corrections Department ‘failed to do its job,’ in process that was often ‘careless, cavalier’ By Patrick B. McGuigan the citizens of Oklahoma that Editor the Department of Corrections failed to do its job. As is evident The grand jury that investi- in the report from the multi- gated executions in Oklahoma county grand jury, a number issued a detailed report in May. of individuals responsible for It contained no indictments, carrying out the execution pro- but amounted to a relentless cess were careless, cavalier and critique of the use/misuse of in some circumstances dismis- drugs in lethal injections. sive of established procedures An attorney for the man that were intended to guard whose near-execution trig- against the very mistakes that gered a cascade of shocking occurred.” revelations about the process, Near the end of the 106-page said Oklahoma’s “flawed sys- report, the narrative turned to tem nearly caused the execu- the actions of Steve Mullins, From left: Pictured with the new American Humane Association animal rescue truck are dogs and their handlers from Na- tion of an innocent man, Rich- former legal counsel for Gov. tional Association for Search and Rescue (Little Man), Oklahoma Task Force 1 Search K9s (Jagger and Moxie); and Lutheran ard Glossip.” Gov. Mary Fallin Mary Fallin: Church Charities K9 Comfort Dog (Rufus). The government violated the 2016. “The Governor’s Counsel Photo by John Jernigan. protocol approved in the courts Attorney General Scott failed to exhibit the care neces- while carrying out the execu- Pruitt said in a prepared state- sary in ensuring the Execution tion of Charles Warner in early ment he regretted to “advise Protocol was followed to the Disaster response rescue letter. … He testified before the Grand Jury that on September vehicle arrives in OKC to protect 30, 2015, he learned from the Department’s General Coun- sel that potassium acetate may Oklahoma’s animals have been used in the Warner By Darla Shelden anniversary of the deadly 2013 The truck will be stationed execution. Upon learning this, City Sentinel Reporter EF-5 tornado that tore through at the OSU-OKC campus, in he further testified he told the the city of Moore, killing 24 Oklahoma’s Tornado Alley, Department’s General Coun- The American Humane As- people, destroying over 1,000 and will be deployed through- sel: ‘For purposes of our dis- sociation (AHA) commemo- homes, and separating hun- out central areas of the United cussion, we’ll assume that it rated 100 years of animal res- dreds of animals from their States. It is one of only three was used in the past, and so cue by debuting a 50-foot-long families. such vehicles in the nation. that we’ve already established animal rescue vehicle at Okla- To this end, the American The truck will be dedicated a practice, that it would go for- homa State University – Okla- Humane Association and the to helping Oklahoma’s animals ward using that medical proto- homa City campus on May 20. Kirkpatrick Foundation joined caught in tornadoes, floods, col.’” The event was held in con- together to help protect Okla- other natural disasters and Fallin was told “there was junction with the three-year homa’s animals in the future. continued on page 6 Attorney General Scott Pruitt continued on page 6 2016 “Free to Love” OKC Pride Week presents music, art, food, fun, solidarity and more By Darla Shelden nual Pride Week,” said Michael City Sentinel Reporter Clark, OKC Pride President. “The block party takes place OKC Pride 2016, themed on ‘The Strip’ and includes top- “Free to Love,” will host activ- notch entertainment, delicious ities throughout the week of food trucks, a variety of ven- June 20-26. Festivities will in- dors, expanded family-friendly clude a Block Party and Con- activities and a good time for cert, the two-day Pride Festi- all.” val and the ever popular OKC Starting at 8 p.m., this year’s Pride Parade. concert will feature the “First First held in 1988, OKC Pride Ladies of Disco” Evelyn ‘Cham- is a celebration of diversity, in- pagne’ King (“Shame”), Ani- dividuality and freedom. Last ta Ward (“Ring My Bell”) and year’s events drew an estimat- Martha Wash (“It’s Raining ed 75,000 people. Men”). They will début their “As a special entertainment Selected for his numerous contribu- 11-piece band disco extravagan- tions to the LGBTQ community, this treat for our community, we year’s OKC Pride Parade Grand Mar- za in Oklahoma City that eve- host an evening Block Party shall will be Lee Burris, owner of In- ning. on the Friday night of our an- grid’s Kitchen. Photo provided. continued on page 2 At far left, Vicki Behenna, Oklahoma Innocence Project, at center left the tall man is exoneree De’Marchoe Carpenter with his arm around his fianceé and her three children (unidentified), at center right (speaking) is exoneree Malcolm Scott with his attorney Christina Green at far right. The tall man in a suit directly behind Scott is his other attorney, Josh Lee. Joyful advocates join in Tulsa to celebrate An Appeal To Our Readers, and a Notice to Advertisers release of two innocent men: Malcolm We turn to you, friends printed word over pixels. and readers, with a direct In sustaining this print Scott and De’Marchoe Carpenter appeal to supplement the presence, we solicit your By Patrick B. McGuigan this day; their families have gal director, said Scott and resources that flow from help. Editor been waiting for this day for Carpenter “have become part our valued and loyal ad- We deeply appreciate 20-plus years.” of our lives and we are privi- vertisers. those readers who have al- Today, Malcolm Scott and In September 1994, the leged to be part of theirs. Mal- This is not complicated. ready contributed. De’Marchoe Carpenter are two teens were sentenced to colm and De’Marchoe’s fu- Newspapers are in trou- Send checks to The free after serving 20 years. life in prison for the murder, tures start today and we are ble. Like everyone else, City Sentinel, P.O. Box The pair were wrongly con- even though a few hours after ecstatic to stand by them as we have a vibrant online 60876, OKC, OK 73146. victed for the 1994 murder of the crime police in Tulsa had they walk away from the past presence (visit us at city- To arrange for credit card Karen Summer. The Oklaho- found the weapon and vehicle and start their lives as free sentinel.com) and an “app” transactions, telephone ma Innocence Project, based used in the “drive-by” shoot- men.” promoted each edition on the editor at 405-834-4834, at Oklahoma City University, ing under the control of a man The Oklahoma Innocence page one. or email [email protected]. documented their innocence named Michael Wilson. Project consists of legal staff Still, a community Below is our production and secured their release. The A Project release said, “On and students at Oklahoma newspaper serves thou- schedule for those interest- exonerations were the first- Jan. 7, 2014, just two days be- City University School of Law sands who ed in advertising in forth- ever for the Project. fore his execution for another have investigated this case prefer the coming editions. Supporters of Scott and murder, Wilson confessed to throughout the current de- Carpenter gathered in Tul- the Project, and again in the cade. The Project leadership sa for a joyful event marking execution chamber that he expressed gratitude for the A note to advertisers and potential advertisers their exit from incarceration. was actually the trigger-man hard work of “attorneys Josh Here is The City Sentinel print edition production schedule for next 4 months. Vicki Zemp Behenna, a for- and that Scott and Carpenter Lee and Ken Sue Doerful, who mer prosecutor who now is were not in the car with him.” volunteered their legal exper- July 2016 edition September 2016 edition executive director of the Okla- According to the Project, tise in the pursuit of the truth Ad space reservation: Friday, June 17 Ad space reservation: Friday, August 19 homa Innocence Project, said, Wilson and Billy Dee Alver- for Scott and Carpenter.” Ad content deadline: Tuesday, June 21 Ad content deadline: Tuesday, August 23 “Malcolm and De’Marchoe son “were both executed for Law School Dean Valerie K. have spent more than half their role in the murder of a Couch at OCU said, “This is August 2016 edition October 2016 edition their lives behind bars for QuikTrip store clerk in 1995.” such a powerful experience for Ad space reservation: Friday, July 22 Ad space reservation: Friday, Sept. 16 something they didn’t do. Christina Green, the Okla- our law students. They gain Ad content deadline: Tuesday, July 26 Ad content deadline: Tuesday, Sept. 20 They have been waiting for homa Innocence Project’s le- continued on page 2 Page 2 www.city-sentinel.com June 2016 NEWS See us online, and on Facebook and Twitter Joyful advocates join in Tulsa to celebrate release of two innocent men: Malcolm Scott and De’Marchoe Carpenter continued from page 1 hands-on experience work- ing with clients, while learn- ing about the inner-workings of the criminal justice system.