21 May 2010 :

Gov. Brad Henry has granted clemency to Richard Tandy Smith and commuted his death sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Smith, 47, white,  was originally sentenced to death for the July 21, 1986 shooting of John David Cederlund, 28,  during an alleged drug deal. In March, the Pardon and Parole Board approved a clemency recommendation for Smith and forwarded it to the governor for consideration. Henry says granting clemency was a difficult decision. Before making his decision on the board’s recommendation, Gov. Henry personally interviewed both prosecutors and defense attorneys and reviewed Smith's case file and all related information pertaining to his clemency hearing. This is only the 3rd time during his tenure in office that Gov. Henry has granted clemency in a death penalty case. In all of those cases, the sentences were commuted to life without parole.