John Michael Hooker

Case record

John Michael Hooker was executed by lethal injection in Oklahoma on March 25, 2003.

Timeline

• March 25, 2003 — John Michael Hooker was executed by lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary and was pronounced dead at 6:07 p.m.
• March 12 — The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board denied clemency for Hooker.
• January — The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal filed by Hooker’s attorney.
• June 21, 2002 — The U.S. Court of Appeals proceeding styled “John Michael Hooker, Petitioner-Appellant, v. Mike Mullin, Warden, Oklahoma State Penitentiary” affirmed the federal district court’s denial of habeas corpus relief.
• 2001 — Officials re-examined DNA evidence in Hooker’s case because it originally had been handled by Oklahoma City police chemist Joyce Gilchrist; retesting showed blood from Sylvia Stokes and Drucilla Morgan on Hooker’s pants.
• January — The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal.
• 1988 — Hooker was convicted of the first degree murders of his common-law wife Sylvia Stokes and Stokes’ mother Drucilla Morgan and was sentenced to death.
• Late March 1988 — Stokes moved out of the Oklahoma City apartment she shared with Hooker to live with her mother.
• October 24-28, 1988 — A jury trial took place in the District Court of Oklahoma County, before the Honorable Leamon Freeman, District Judge.
• March 27, 1988 — Stokes and Morgan entered Hooker’s apartment; witnesses reported loud noises coming from the residence; Hooker was later seen with blood on his clothes.
• March 28, 1988 — Cynthia Stokes grew concerned because she had not seen her mother or sister since Sunday afternoon and entered the apartment; she saw her mother lying on the floor in a pool of blood and called police; the police found both Stokes and Morgan dead in the apartment.
• Five months before the murders (1988) — Stokes obtained a Victim Protective Order against Hooker.
• 1979 — Oklahoma resumed executions in 1979.
• Eight years before the murders (approx. late 1970s/early 1980s) — Hooker and Stokes lived together for eight years and had three children.
• When Hooker was 17 years old — Hooker pleaded guilty to manslaughter and assault and battery with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.

Background

John Michael Hooker had a violent and turbulent relationship with his common-law wife, Sylvia Stokes, marked by episodes in which Hooker physically attacked Stokes. Hooker previously attacked Stokes, who had obtained a court order of protection against him. Several witnesses testified about Hooker’s attacks and threats.

Hooker distrusted Stokes and was angry when they broke up; he was jealous when other men paid attention to her. When Stokes was drinking, he talked about killing her. He also resented Stokes’ mother, Drucilla Morgan, and indicated he would “get” both of them.

Five months before Stokes’ murder, Stokes obtained a Victim Protective Order against Hooker. At that time, she expressed fear that he would harm her and stated she did not want to be “like the others dead.”

In early 1988, Hooker, Stokes, and their three children lived at the Providence Apartments in Oklahoma City. In late March 1988, Stokes and the children moved out of the apartment she shared with Hooker because she was afraid Hooker might harm her and the children; they moved in with Morgan, who lived in the same apartment complex.

Hooker and Stokes lived together for eight years and had three children. Hooker frequently separated and reconciled with Stokes during their time together.

The offence

Hooker was charged with two counts of First Degree Murder with Malice Aforethought in violation of 21 O.S. Supp. 1982, § 701.7, in the District Court of Oklahoma County, Case No. CRF-88-1939.

• Count I — murder of Sylvia Stokes (28).
• Count II — murder of Drucilla Morgan (53).

The victims were stabbed multiple times. Sylvia Stokes was stabbed eight times, and Drucilla Morgan was stabbed 12 times, causing internal bleeding that killed them both. Prosecutors contended Hooker was already inside the apartment when the women entered and repeatedly attacked them with an 8-inch butcher knife.

Both women were intoxicated at the time of death, and PCP was discovered in Stokes’ blood.

Investigation

The police investigation revealed that the killer left the apartment through a back window. A knife with the victims’ blood on it was found on the floor below the window. A partial bloody footprint in the apartment matched one of Hooker’s tennis shoes; the print could have matched other similar shoes.

Over a week after the bodies were found, Hooker was arrested. Blood found on Hooker’s blue jeans was analyzed as type B. Hooker had type O blood, while Stokes and Morgan had blood type B.

The police found blood matching the victims’ blood type (B) on Hooker’s blue jeans, and witnesses reported seeing Hooker with blood on his clothing. Prosecutors described evidence including prior threats against Stokes, blood on Hooker’s clothing matching the victims’ blood type, a bloody shoeprint matching shoes he wore, and witnesses who stated they had seen him leave the apartment with blood on his clothing.

In 2001, officials re-examined DNA evidence in Hooker’s case because it originally had been handled by Oklahoma City police chemist Joyce Gilchrist. Investigators retested DNA evidence submitted in all of Gilchrist’s cases after officials accused her of performing shoddy work. Results of the retesting showed blood from Stokes and Morgan was found on Hooker’s pants.

Following problems with Gilchrist’s work, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office retested the blood samples and sent them to a Texas DNA lab. The new tests again showed that blood found on Hooker’s pants and shoes came from the victims.

Arrest

Hooker was arrested approximately one week after the murders. Witnesses reported that he was later seen with blood on his clothes, and police found blood matching the victims’ blood type on his blue jeans.

Trial

A jury trial was held October 24-28, 1988, before the Honorable Leamon Freeman, District Judge.

The State filed two Bills of Particulars seeking the death penalty on each count.

At the conclusion of the first stage of the trial, the jury returned a verdict of guilty of first degree murder on both counts.

The relationship and background evidence included the Victim Protective Order and testimony about Hooker’s attacks and threats. Witnesses gave varying accounts about times and events; loud noises such as furniture moving and throwing things were heard by two women in the apartment below. Cynthia Stokes testified she saw Hooker in the apartment watching “60 Minutes” on television on Sunday evening and that neither her sister Sylvia nor her mother were in the apartment with Hooker at that time.

Cynthia Stokes pushed open the door slightly on Monday morning March 28, looked in, and saw her mother lying on the floor in a pool of blood. The police found both Stokes and Morgan’s bodies in the apartment.

At the capital sentencing phase of trial, the jury found the existence of four aggravating circumstances:

1. Hooker had a previous felony conviction involving the use or threat of violence to the person.
2. Hooker knowingly created a great risk of death to more than one person.
3. The murders were especially heinous, atrocious or cruel.
4. A probability existed that Hooker would commit criminal acts of violence constituting a continuing threat to society.

In accordance with the jury’s recommendation, the trial court sentenced Hooker to death on both murder counts.

During sentencing, defense counsel stipulated that (1) Hooker had prior violent felony convictions and (2) he would be a continuing threat to society.

Mitigating evidence presented by Hooker included prior offenses, an excellent prison record, work ethic after release from prison, love for his children and Stokes, a substance abuse problem, changed behavior while using drugs, fragile coping skills, feelings of inferiority, strong interpersonal skills, traumatic family background, and chronic underlying depression.

Appeals

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the convictions and death sentences and later denied post-conviction relief.

• Hooker v. State, 887 P.2d 1351 (Okl. Crim. App. 1994) — upheld convictions and sentences.
• Aff’d 934 P.2d 352 (Okla. Crim. App. 1997) — denied post-conviction relief.

The federal district court denied habeas corpus relief.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court’s denial of habeas corpus relief and described the case as: “John Michael Hooker, Petitioner-Appellant, v. Mike Mullin, Warden, Oklahoma State Penitentiary; APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA (D.C. No. 97-CV-284-C).”

The appeal sought to overturn convictions and sentences, and the appellate court affirmed the denial of habeas corpus relief.

Sentencing

Hooker was sentenced to death for both murders, following the jury’s recommendation at the capital sentencing phase.

Outcome

Hooker was executed by lethal injection in Oklahoma on March 25, 2003, at 6:07 p.m. at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. He was pronounced dead after lethal chemicals began flowing into his arm at 6:05 p.m.

Hooker made a last statement from the death chamber:

“To all my family and friends, what's up guys? I'm all hooked up. I can't even move my hands, or none of that. But that's all right. I'm at peace. I'm good, ya'll are good, ya'll stay up. I'm out.”

Aftermath

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a habeas corpus appeal without comment and denied an emergency stay request filed by Hooker’s attorney. The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board denied clemency for Hooker on March 12.

Other details

Victims

• Sylvia Stokes — 28; Hooker’s common-law wife; mother of three young children.
• Drusilla Morgan — 53; Sylvia Stokes’ mother.

Hooker and Stokes had three children.

Prior conduct and criminal history

Before the murders, Hooker had served a prison term for manslaughter. When Hooker was 17 years old, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and assault and battery with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Court documents said Hooker attended a party, became involved in an argument with the female hostess, pulled a gun, and shot twice: one bullet wounded the woman, and the other hit Hooker’s friend, killing him.

Relationship and threats

The case involved evidence of Hooker’s jealousy, threats, and attacks on Stokes. A witness reported seeing Hooker beat his girlfriend in the head with a stick that resembled a pool cue in 1986, and the manager of the apartment complex said she had seen bruises on Stokes’ head. Hooker repeatedly tried to get Stokes to return, but she refused.

Stokes had told her sister she feared Hooker would hurt her and the children. She moved in with Morgan after she said she was afraid Hooker might hurt the children.