Oklahoma carried out its first execution of 2026 on February 12, when Kendrick Simpson, 45, was put to death by lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. Simpson had been convicted for the 2006 drive‑by shooting deaths of 19‑year‑old Anthony Jones and 20‑year‑old Glen Palmer, following a nightclub altercation in Oklahoma City. He was pronounced dead at approximately 10:19 a.m. CST, after a three‑drug protocol was administered. Despite a public apology during a clemency hearing—where he acknowledged, “I don’t make any excuses. I don’t blame others, and they didn’t deserve what happened to them”—the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board narrowly rejected his request for clemency, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene at the last minute.

In his final moments, Simpson addressed his family and legal team, saying, “I love y’all… thank y’all for being here to support me.” His execution was witnessed by victims’ family members, including Glen Palmer’s sister, Crystal Allison, who expressed enduring distress over what she described as Simpson’s “smile that had been tormenting me for 20 years.”

This execution was the second in the United States in 2026, following Florida’s execution of Ronald Palmer Heath on February 10. Heath, 64, was executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison for the 1989 murder and robbery of traveling salesman Michael Sheridan. Heath’s execution marked Florida’s first of the year and came amid a record‑breaking death penalty campaign in 2025, when 19 individuals were executed in the state.

Florida continues to schedule executions at a rapid pace: Melvin Trotter is scheduled for February 24, and Billy Leon Kearse on March 3. These developments reinforce the state’s leading role in capital punishment nationwide in 2025, a trend President DeSantis has explicitly endorsed.

Why this matters locally: While neither case occurred in Washington State, these executions highlight persistent legal and ethical debates around capital punishment. They provide an urgent reminder of the stakes involved as Washington’s Legislature periodically considers reforms related to sentencing, clemency, and application of justice. For communities like Longview, Kelso, and broader Cowlitz County, understanding how other states apply or reconsider this ultimate sanction can inform local discourse as Washington continues to evaluate its own practices and values regarding criminal justice.