---
title: "Fewer Death Sentences as Victims' Concerns Are Considered"
description: 'When weighing whether to seek the death penalty, Tulsa County First Assistant District Attorney Doug Drummond says that he tries to determine how future…'
canonical: 'https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/fewer-death-sentences-as-victims-concerns-are-considered'
section: news
date: '2007-08-01T21:59:00-04:00'
updated: '2025-03-14T14:23:08-04:00'
source: 'Death Penalty Information Center'
---

When weighing whether to seek the death penalty, Tulsa County First Assistant **District Attorney Doug Drummond** says that he tries to determine how future juries will assess the evidence, as well as how a death penalty case will impact victims' family members. He observes, "Life without parole without appeals might be a better situation for a lot of victims' families. There are some positive things about that. . . . A lot of people, at first blush when a loved one is killed, want the death penalty. (But) going through a death-penalty case is a lot of stress (and can produce) a lot of frustrations with the system."

During the past year, six Tulsa County murder defendants were eligible for the death penalty, but not one received a death sentence. In four of the cases, the District Attorney's office agreed to withdraw requests for the death sentence prior to trial, decisions that were made after a careful review of the evidence and in consultation with murder victims' family members. In the remaining two cases, prosecutors did pursue death sentences, but jurors failed to return a death verdict. In one of these cases, jurors acquitted the defendant, a rare outcome in death penalty trials. Drummond and Tulsa County Chief Public Defender Pete Silva both acknowledged that there are "tough hurdles" for prosecutors to secure a death sentence that will not be overturned at the appellate level.

Defense attorney Kevin Adams added that Tulsa County prosecutors "see the death penalty as a justifiable punishment, but are willing to consider some other result if the defendant is willing to accept responsibility." He notes that a prosecutor's decision to not seek the death penalty can save years of court proceedings and "a lot of waiting and a lot of anguish" for victims' families. Adams notes, "We do a pretty good job of assigning blame in the justice system. We don't do as good of a job of helping people cope with a loss."  
 (Tulsa World, July 30, 2007). See [Victims](/victims-and-death-penalty?did=573&scid=62) and [Life Without Parole.](/life-without-parole?did=555&scid=59)