Monday, April 30, 2012

The Impending Execution of Michael Selsor

Michael Bascum Selsor sits on death row awaiting execution by the people of Oklahoma. His execution is scheduled for tomorrow. It does not seem as if he will survive the day.

I offer a summary of his crime from the adverse appellate decision in Selsor v. State (2000):
At approximately 11:00 p.m. on September 15, 1975, Selsor and Richard Eugene Dodson robbed the U-TOTE-M convenience store at 5950 33rd West Avenue in Tulsa. Selsor and Dodson entered the store, each armed with a .22 caliber handgun. Employee Clayton Chandler was working at the cash register. Selsor approached Chandler, pulled his gun, and demanded the contents of the register. Dodson located employee Ina Morris, who was restocking the walk-in cooler. Dodson pointed his gun at her and ordered her to get down. Morris replied, "You've got to be kidding me." Dodson then fired a shot striking Morris in the shoulder. 
Chandler loaded a sack with money and handed it to Selsor, who then shot Chandler several times in the chest killing him. Upon hearing the shots, Dodson emptied his weapon through the cooler door at Morris. Morris was shot in the head, neck and shoulder, but survived. Selsor and Dodson then fled. 
On September 22, 1975, Selsor and Dodson were arrested in Santa Barbara, California. Selsor confessed this and other crimes to Detective John Evans of the Santa Barbara Police Department. In his confession, Selsor admitted that before entering the store, he and Dodson had agreed to leave no witnesses.
During Selsor's first trial, he was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. He appealed and won a retrial. During the second trail, he was found guilty and sentenced to death.

Selsor makes no claim of factual innocence. Instead, he based his most recent clemency plea on his remorse, the changes he has made to his life, and on the unfairness of being given the death sentence after initially being given life in prison.

I oppose the execution of any person who might be factually innocent of the crime for which they are to die. In all other cases, I stand mute.

In the case of Michael Bascum Selsor, I stand mute.

ADDENDUM:
Michael Selsor has been executed by the people of Oklahoma.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bascum, not scumbag ?

Patrick in ATX said...

I grew up in Tulsa, and that neighborhood is (or used to be) Sapulpa. My guess is the woman said "you have got to be kidding me" because she was familiar with the shooter.

Oklahima is a stranger place than when I left.

Patrick in ATX said...

I obviously meant Oklahoma

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