Kendrick Simpson Executed in Oklahoma's First Execution of the Year

Thu Feb 12 2026 23:58:10 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Kendrick Simpson, who admitted to the 2006 drive-by shooting murders of two men, was executed by lethal injection in Oklahoma on Thursday. His plea for clemency was denied despite his apologies.

Oklahoma carried out its first execution of the year on Thursday, executing 45-year-old Kendrick Simpson, who admitted to killing two men in a drive-by shooting in 2006. Simpson was pronounced dead after receiving a three-drug injection. During a clemency hearing last month, he expressed remorse for his actions, but the state's Pardon and Parole Board denied his plea for mercy. The U.S. Supreme Court also rejected a last-minute appeal to block the execution. The execution has reignited discussions about capital punishment, particularly concerning Simpson's claims of post-traumatic stress stemming from a traumatic childhood.

McALESTER, Okla. — On Thursday, Kendrick Simpson, a 45-year-old man convicted for the drive-by shooting murders of two young men in Oklahoma City back in 2006, was executed. This marked Oklahoma's first execution of the year. Simpson was pronounced dead at 10:19 CT after being given a three-drug injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary.

Simpson admitted to using an assault rifle to shoot at a vehicle occupied by Anthony Jones, 19, and Glen Palmer, 20, following a confrontation at a nightclub. Despite fleeing to Oklahoma City after Hurricane Katrina, she faced severe repercussions for his actions. In a clemency hearing last month, he expressed remorse for his actions, saying, I apologize for murdering your sons. I don’t make any excuses. I don’t blame others. However, the state's five-member Pardon and Parole Board denied his clemency request.

Simpson's attorneys argued he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder due to a traumatic childhood in New Orleans. They wrote, Kendrick is a man worthy of your mercy and compassion. The death penalty is supposed to be reserved for the worst of the worst offenses and offenders. Kendrick and his case represent neither. Ultimately, the board, responding to appeals from the victims' families, voted against clemency, echoing calls for justice for the victims.

The execution reignites discussions regarding capital punishment, particularly in light of recent statistics showing a decline in executions in the U.S. Some family members of the victims supported the execution, citing the brutal nature of the murders. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond labeled Simpson a ruthless and violent killer who hunted his victims without remorse.