Oklahoma court upholds murder conviction, manslaughter plea

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, in two separate cases, has upheld a murder conviction and rejected a request to withdraw a no-contest plea to manslaughter charges in the deaths of a woman and her 14-month-old granddaughter.
The court on Thursday upheld the conviction and life with parole sentence of Kendell Sparrow in the stabbing death of William Rivers in Stillwater.
Sparrow argued there was insufficient evidence to convict him and that improper testimony was allowed at his trial.
The court also turned down Auntra Edmonds’ request to withdraw his no-contest plea or reduce his two life with parole sentences for first-degree manslaughter in the deaths of Wanda Perry and her granddaughter.
Prosecutors say Edmonds was driving while intoxicated when his vehicle struck the victims in a yard in Mangum.