Join Us for Oklahoma Felony Murder Impact Study on October 3rd

In November 2020, Stavian Rodriguez, age 15, and Wyatt Cheatham, age 17 robbed a convenience store in south Oklahoma City at gunpoint. After fleeing the scene, Rodriguez returned to demand more money. When the police arrived to the scene, Rodriguez began to surrender himself and dropped his gun. Ultimately, he was shot by 6 of the officers on the scene, 5 of whom fired lethal rounds. 

Despite not being present at the scene, Cheatham was initially charged with first-degree felony murder for the death of Rodriguez. While the first-degree murder charges were ultimately dropped against Cheatham, many individuals throughout Oklahoma are sitting in jails awaiting trial for similar charges or are in prison after being convicted with felony murder. 

The felony murder doctrine is used throughout jurisdictions in the United States that allows the State to charge individuals with first- or second-degree murder if a death results in the commission of a felony. In Oklahoma, the statutory authority allowing felony murder is 21 O.S. 2011, §§ 701.7 and 701.8. It removes the State’s obligation to prove the “intent to kill” requirement while subjecting the defendant to the same level of punishment. According to state statute, when an individual is convicted, pleads guilty, the punishment is either life with or without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. 

Felony murder charges directly contribute to mass incarceration. Given that Oklahoma consistently ranks in the top 3 incarcerators in the nation, with rates even higher than the United States as a whole, it is imperative legislators consider the felony murder doctrine in conversations about criminal justice reform. 

Felony Murder Elimination Project invites our supporters and advocates to join us at the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City on Thursday October 3rd from 1p-4p CT in room 450 as we listen to expert testimony on the impact of the felony murder law and application of the death penalty in the state of Oklahoma.

If you are able to attend in person, please arrive at Capitol meeting room 450 by at least 12:30p CT (address of the Capitol building).

For those of you who cannot attend in person, you can live stream it here.  Click on "Criminal Justice and Corrections." Be sure to mute yourself and remember to be still while watching as any movement is a distraction. 

We want to pack the room, in person and virtually, for this study. Please spread the word on your social media channels, let your networks know the details, and ask if they can show up to watch.

We look forward to "seeing you," or seeing you in Oklahoma City!