The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 4-1 Wednesday to deny clemency for a man sentenced to death for the 2005 murder of Amber Matthews. 56-year-old Wendell Grissom, scheduled for execution on March 20, was convicted of fatally shooting Matthews during a home invasion near Watonga, while she protected children.
Grissom’s attorneys argued he suffered brain damage from birth and accidents, but prosecutors contested this claim. Grissom did not address the board, though an audio recording revealed he did not seek clemency.
Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Crabb described Grissom’s actions as premeditated murder, emphasizing that he was “there to kill” and not merely committing a robbery. Grissom’s execution would mark the first in Oklahoma this year.