A death-row prisoner, Tremane Wood, who narrowly escaped execution thanks to a last-minute commutation by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, was swiftly taken for medical attention after being found unresponsive in his cell at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary.
Officials confirmed that Wood collapsed in his cell shortly after receiving the news of his sentence being changed to life without parole. Despite appearing stable after meeting with his legal team, Wood experienced a medical emergency believed to be caused by dehydration and stress.
Department of Corrections spokeswoman Kay Thompson stated that Wood was later reported as “stable and alert” on Thursday evening after the incident. In a post-incident interview, Wood mentioned losing consciousness while alone in his cell, waking up in the infirmary with injuries to his head and lip.
Wood clarified that he did not self-harm and attributed his condition to dehydration and lack of food since the previous day. Expressing gratitude, he requested a message to be relayed to Governor Stitt, thanking him for the commutation.
Initially awaiting execution in a cell adjacent to the death chamber, Wood was saved by the governor’s intervention following support for clemency from the victim’s family. Wood was convicted of the fatal stabbing of Ronnie Wipf during a failed robbery in 2002, persistently claiming his brother, who passed away in prison, was the actual perpetrator.
Governor Stitt justified his decision by equating Wood’s punishment to that of his brother and ensuring a permanent incarceration to protect the community. The order stipulated that Wood would not be eligible for commutation, parole, or pardon, mirroring conditions imposed on another clemency recipient, Julius Jones.
While State Attorney General Gentner Drummond expressed disappointment in the clemency grant, Wood’s attorney, Amanda Bass Castro Alves, conveyed profound gratitude, hoping it would bring peace to the victim’s family. Several Republican lawmakers advocated for clemency, supported by a narrow 3-2 vote in favor from the state’s Pardon and Parole Board.
Amidst contention over the board’s influence and the case’s lengthy litigation, prosecutors maintained Wood’s guilt, citing his history of criminal activities in prison. Wood acknowledged misconduct but denied the murder, emphasizing his innocence and pleading for understanding.
On the same day, South Carolina witnessed the execution of mass killer Stephen Bryant, who murdered three individuals in 2004. Despite Bryant attributing his actions to prenatal brain damage from his mother’s substance use, the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld his sentence, making him the third person executed by firing squad in the state this year.
