Robert Wesley Knighton

Case overview

Robert Wesley Knighton was executed by lethal injection in Oklahoma on May 27, 2003.

Knighton was pronounced dead at 6:32 p.m., seven minutes after the fatal drug injection began. In a brief, almost inaudible final statement, Knighton thanked his attorneys and said he was sorry for what he had done. He then spoke to Sue Norton, the adopted daughter of Richard Denney, who forgave and befriended Knighton during his trial. Knighton said, "I'll see you again someday. God bless you," and Sue Norton replied with a thumbs-up as the execution began. He became unconscious shortly afterward; his stomach heaved and he appeared to snore for several minutes. His body shook and his face reddened a few times before he stopped breathing. Norton said, "He just went to heaven."

Timeline

• Jan. 8, 1990 — Richard Denney and Virginia Denney were shot and killed at their farm near Tonkawa during a crime spree.
• January 1990 — Knighton left a Kansas City, Missouri halfway house and embarked on a four-day crime spree with Renee Williams and Lawrence Brittain.
• April 11, 2003 — The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals set May 27 as the execution date for Noble County death row inmate Robert Wesley Knighton.
• May 27, 2003 — Oklahoma executed Robert Wesley Knighton by lethal injection.
• May 28, 2003 — News coverage described the execution after it occurred.

The offence

Knighton shot and killed Richard Denney, 62, and Virginia Denney, 64, at their farm near Tonkawa on Jan. 8, 1990, during a three-day crime spree. The crime spree began with the murders and robbery of two men in Clinton, Missouri.

After the group left the Denney residence, they took $61 and a beat-up pickup truck. The group also took money, beer, and three weapons during the Missouri portion, including a .38-caliber revolver that was used to kill the Dennys.

Missouri murders and robbery

Knighton and his co-defendants, Ruth Renee Williams and Lawrence Brittain, stole a van in Kansas City. They drove to Clinton, Missouri, where they shot and killed Frankie T. Merrifield and his stepson, Roy E. Donahue, after the group had been drinking together. They left with money, beer, and three weapons. Prosecutors said the .22-caliber pistol and a .38-caliber pistol were among the weapons taken.

Oklahoma murders at the Denney farm

The fugitives found the Denneys' rented farmhouse as the van was running out of gas. Richard Denney came out of his house as the group pulled into his driveway. Knighton forced him into the house at gunpoint and shot Denney once in the chest, then shot and killed Virginia Denney. In one account of the subsequent shooting, Knighton shot Richard Denney a second time and reportedly said, "at least the old woman had time to say her prayers."

Richard Denney advised Knighton and his co-defendants they could take anything they wanted and that they could not report him because they had no phone. In court documents and trial accounts, Richard Denney attempted to talk Knighton out of killing him. Knighton invited Brittain to shoot Richard Denney; when Brittain declined, Knighton shot Richard Denney.

After the shootings, the group stole $61 and the Denneys’ pickup truck. They were later stopped and arrested in Texas.

Investigation and arrest

Texas police arrested Knighton and the other members of the group the next day, while they were still driving the Denneys' truck.

In one account, the trio was arrested in Texas after a resident reported a suspicious vehicle was driving slowly around a neighborhood. Hemphill County Deputy Sheriff Tennant stopped the truck, and the Sheriff saw a pistol in plain view on the floorboard and a partially covered second pistol on the seat.

The Hemphill County Sheriff had the Noble County Sheriff called based on the proof of insurance form in the Denney's truck. The Noble County Sheriff sent people to the Denney place, and the murders were discovered.

Trial

Knighton was convicted in Oklahoma of two counts of capital murder for the Jan. 8, 1990 shooting deaths of Richard and Virginia Denney. He was sentenced to death.

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Knighton’s convictions and death sentences. The United States Supreme Court denied Knighton’s final appeal, after which the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals set the execution date.

In his federal habeas appeal, Knighton appealed from the denial of habeas relief under 28 U.S.C. § 2254 from two Oklahoma first degree murder convictions and death sentences. He claimed that (1) admitting evidence of many other crimes committed during his four-day crime spree resulted in a fundamentally unfair trial; (2) prosecutors’ belated disclosure of Brady v. Maryland material prejudiced his defense; and (3) trial counsel’s representation at sentencing was constitutionally ineffective. The appellate court affirmed.

Punishment factors found at sentencing

During the capital sentencing proceeding, the jury found three aggravating factors:

• Knighton had suffered prior violent felony convictions.
• Knighton created a great risk of death to more than one person.
• There was a probability that Knighton would commit future criminal acts of violence constituting a continuing threat to society.

The jury declined to find that Knighton killed the Denneys to avoid arrest or prosecution for robbing them. After considering mitigating evidence, the jury imposed two death sentences.

Sentencing and co-defendants

Brittain

Lawrence Brittain was convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison on each count. In one account, Brittain later pleaded guilty to two counts of first degree murder and received two concurrent life sentences; in return for the sentences, Brittain testified against Knighton.

Williams

Ruth Renee Williams was charged with two counts of accessory after the fact and received a 15-year prison sentence on each count. In one account, Williams pleaded guilty as an accessory and received concurrent 15-year prison sentences; Williams testified against Knighton at his trial.

Appeals and clemency

The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 4-0 against sparing Knighton’s life. The state attorney general’s office argued there was no way Knighton deserved clemency.

In the execution process described, Attorney General Drew Edmondson requested March 24 after the United States Supreme Court denied Knighton’s final appeal.

Amnesty International urged the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board to recommend clemency for Robert Knighton, scheduled to be executed on May 27. The Board would consider Knighton’s clemency appeal on Tuesday, May 20. Amnesty International stated that Sue Norton, Richard Denney’s adopted daughter, would speak against the execution at a Monday press conference, and that Norton opposed the death penalty.

The jury verdict and sentence were affirmed on original appeal in Oklahoma court proceedings.

Execution details

Knighton’s final requested meal included a large pepperoni pizza, a strawberry milkshake, a large order of onion rings, and banana cream pie.

Before the execution began, Knighton thanked his attorneys and said he was sorry for what he had done. He spoke to Sue Norton with the words: "I'll see you again someday. God bless you." Sue Norton’s reply was a thumbs-up as the execution began.

People involved

Defendant

• Robert Wesley Knighton, 62, was convicted and sentenced to death for the Jan. 8, 1990 murders of Richard and Virginia Denney.

Victims

• Richard Denney, 62.
• Virginia Denney, 64.

Victims’ relatives and supporters

• Sue Norton, adopted daughter of Richard Denney, forgave and befriended Knighton during his trial and opposed the death penalty.
• Maudie Nichols, biological daughter of Richard Denney, supported Knighton being executed and watched the execution with other family members.
• Gene Norton, Sue Norton’s husband.
• Maggie Lange, Denney’s stepsister.
• Gene, was mentioned in connection with Norton after the execution.
• Debbie Clark, involved in the Texas stop in one account.
• Ray Donahue, killed in Missouri.
• Frank T. Merrifield, killed in Missouri.
• Roy E. Donahue, identified as Merrifield’s stepson in the account.

Co-defendants

• Lawrence Brittain, 17 in some accounts; convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison on each count; in other accounts, pleaded guilty to two counts of first degree murder and received two concurrent life sentences.
• Ruth Renee Williams, 20 in some accounts; charged with two counts of accessory after the fact and received a 15-year prison sentence on each count; in other accounts, pleaded guilty as an accessory and received concurrent 15-year prison sentences.

Officials and legal participants

• W.A. Drew Edmondson, Attorney General, requested the date March 24 after the United States Supreme Court denied Knighton’s final appeal.
• Jerry Massie, prison spokesman who reported Knighton’s death and last words in one account.
• Lane, J., in the Oklahoma appellate decision referenced.
• Billings, C.J., in the Missouri appellate decision referenced.
• Chief Judge, Billings is named as Chief Judge in the Missouri appellate decision excerpt.
• John M. Stuart, handled Knighton’s appeals in one account.
• Mike Mullin, Warden, Oklahoma State Penitentiary, in the federal appeal caption.

Other named individuals in background accounts

• Claude Day and Coffier Day, referenced in an earlier Missouri kidnapping case excerpt.
• Traci, referenced as a six-year-old in the kidnapping case excerpt.
• Mr. Jarrett and Mrs. Jarrett, referenced in the kidnapping case excerpt.
• Francis and Big J., referenced in the kidnapping case excerpt.
• Douglas Russell, referenced in a narrative article header.
• Brad Henry, governor referenced in advocacy requests.

Other details

Prison phone and final interaction descriptions

In one account, moments before the execution began, Knighton told Sue Norton, "I'll see you again somebody," and "God bless you," and said, "I'm sorry for all I've done."

Requests and advocacy

Sue Norton’s statement included:

• "This is the first time in his life that the feels like he's doing something right," attributed to John M. Stuart speaking about Knighton’s clemency process in connection with Norton’s remarks.
• Norton said, "It took him this to realize he spent over 50 of his years living totally against God."
• Nichols said, "Me, I'm happy," holding a picture of the Dennys.
• Nichols said, "He took my mother's life while she was drinking a cup of coffee."
• Nichols said, "It's the law and it's what we need and it's what we uphold."
• Nichols said, "I think anybody that does any kind of crime should have to stand accountable for waht they do," and "I don't make the laws."

Karin Lau and others were named in Amnesty International materials, including:

• Karin Lau, Director of AIUSA’s Program to Abolish the Death Penalty is referenced through quote and role.
• Sue Gunawardena-Vaughn, Director of AIUSA’s Program to Abolish the Death Penalty, quoted in Amnesty International materials.

Prior incarceration

Knighton served 17 years in a Missouri prison for manslaughter, kidnapping and robbery before going to a halfway house in Kansas City, Missouri, where he befriended Lawrence Brittain. In one narrative, Knighton had been imprisoned in Missouri for manslaughter, kidnapping and robbery before escaping from a halfway house.

Letter and pen-pal appeal

A message associated with Robert Knighton was included in the materials:

• "Hi, my name is Robert Knighton. I'm 58 years old, and I have been locked up since 1959. For the last 10 years I have been on Death Row ! Don't know much about out in the free world but would love to have a pen pal. If you would like to write that's cool ! If you don't, your choice ! Robert Knighton # 65017 PO Box 97 McALESTER, OKLAHOMA 74502-0097"

Federal appellate case referenced

The federal appellate proceeding captioned "Robert Wesley Knighton, Petitioner-Appellant, v. Mike Mullin, Warden, Oklahoma State Penitentiary, Respondent-Appellee" was resolved by affirming the denial of habeas relief.