Oklahoma court overturns two death sentences, citing McGirt

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has overturned two more death sentences based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Oklahoma lacks jurisdiction for crimes on tribal reservations in which the defendants or victims were tribal citizens.

The court on Thursday reversed the convictions of Benjamin Robert Cole Sr and James Chandler Ryder. Cole was convicted of killing his 9-month-old daughter; Ryder was convicted of killing 70-year-old Daisy Hallum and her 38-year-old son, Sam Hallum.

The Supreme Court ruling means major crimes, including murder, fall to federal prosecutors to pursue and indictments have been issued in some cases, including Cole’s.