Garry Allen is sched­uled for exe­cu­tion in Oklahoma on November 6, the third date set for him this year. Allen’s exe­cu­tion has been stayed repeat­ed­ly due to ques­tions about his men­tal com­pe­tence. He has been diag­nosed with schiz­o­phre­nia as well as demen­tia caused by seizures, drug abuse, and a gun­shot wound to his head sus­tained dur­ing his arrest. In 2008, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board rec­om­mend­ed that his death sen­tence be com­mut­ed by a 4 – 1 vote. Governor Mary Fallin grant­ed a stay in order to con­sid­er the Board’s rec­om­men­da­tion, but denied clemen­cy. Allen mur­dered his wife 26 years ago, after she had left him and tak­en their two children.

(R. Petersen, ​“Oklahoma death row inmate set for exe­cu­tion, again,” McAlester News-Capital, November 4, 2012). See Mental Illness and Clemency.

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