Kendrick Simpson was executed by lethal injection in Oklahoma on Thursday, prompting protests and renewed criticism of capital punishment from advocacy groups, despite his diagnosis of PTSD and apology to the victims’ families.
Despite widespread calls for mercy and evidence suggesting mental health diversion, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 3-2 to deny clemency for death row prisoner Kendrick man , who is scheduled to be executed in 2026.
Oklahoma state legislators are urging mercy in the Kendrick Simpson case, as advocates argue that jurors never heard critical evidence about the trauma that shaped his actions, and that Simpson should be granted clemency due to his PTSD, which was caused by his experiences in Hurricane Katrina and a prior drive-by shooting.