STOP the Execution of Kendrick Simpson

Oklahoma intends to execute Kendrick Simpson on February 12 for the 2006 murder of Glen Palmer and Anthony Jones

We oppose this execution as we do every execution. Capital punishment is an act of state sanctioned violence that violates the sacred dignity of every human life. In the words of Saint Pope John Paul II, “The dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil.”

Kendrick was the victim of violence himself and was diagnosed with PTSD after surviving a shooting which left him hospitalized for months. Originally from Louisiana, Kendrick also survived Hurricane Katrina. Following the natural disaster, he was relocated to Oklahoma where his crime occurred.

Kendrick’s crime cannot be understood without considering the implications of his PTSD diagnosis and his own personal experience as a survivor of gun violence.

Kendrick has thrived since his incarceration. He is the first person to receive a GED from death row in Oklahoma and he has excelled in college classes. He is a prolific and award-winning poet, and has maintained positive relationships with his children from prison.

Please contact the Oklahoma Board of Pardons and Paroles today to support clemency for Kendrick Simpson.