MCALESTER, Okla. (KFOR) – The widower of a woman killed by a death row inmate who’s set to be executed is frustrated that he won’t be able to attend the execution. The Oklahoma Department of Corrections said he missed the deadline to sign up.
Herman Smith said the Oklahoma Department of Corrections never invited him to the execution of his late wife’s killer.
“They didn’t notify me, period,” he said. “I was out of the loop.”
Suzette Smith, his late wife, was one of two women killed by Donald Grant at a Del City hotel in 2001. Prosecutors said Grant wanted the hotel’s money to bond his girlfriend out of jail and didn’t want to leave any witnesses. Both women were shot and stabbed.
Grant is set to be executed Thursday morning at 10 a.m.
Smith said he called the ODOC for the first time Wednesday about wanting to attending the execution the following day.
“They told me I was too late,” Smith explained. “I had to fill out forms and all kind of paperwork out, which I was unaware.”
Smith said he needs to see his wife’s killer get executed.
“Because they was executed and murdered terribly. It was unbelievable that you can do two persons like that,” he said emotionally. “And I never get over it. That’s tragedy that sticks with me.”
ODOC tells KFOR that individuals who wish to attend executions have to register and that, “no records indicate this individual ever registered to be included on this list of people who would be alerted of things like clemency hearings, execution information, etc. Per policy 040301, witness registration closes 30 days prior to the scheduled date of execution. This individual did not meet that timeline.”
Smith is calling their policy unfair, saying if he knew he had to sign up he would have.
“Well, I hope they would know that somethings people don’t know, that should be more informed information given to people in a situation like this because some people just don’t know,” he said.
Smith is considering suing ODOC.
He said he’ll watch news coverage of Grant’s execution on TV Thursday.
