Who is Philip Dean Hancock? Oklahoma inmate pleads for clemency as he claims 'self-defense' in double murder
OKLAHOMA: Oklahoma's parole board has recommended clemency for Philip Dean Hancock, a 59-year-old death row inmate facing execution for the double murder of Robert Jett Jr, 37, and James Lynch, 58, in Oklahoma City back in 2001.
The scheduled lethal injection on November 30 hangs in the balance as the decision now rests with Republican Governor Kevin Stitt.
Philip Dean Hancock's ongoing battle for clemency
Hancock has consistently maintained that he acted in self-defense, claiming that Jett and Lynch were members of outlaw motorcycle gangs who attacked him in their home.
According to Hancock's account, he was unarmed and lured into Jett's residence, where he was ordered into a cage and attacked with a metal bar.
In the struggle that ensued, Hancock allegedly managed to take control of Jett's pistol and shot both men in an act of self-preservation.
The parole board's narrow 3-2 vote in favor of clemency adds a layer of complexity to the case, considering Hancock's previous conviction for first-degree manslaughter in 1982, where he also asserted self-defense and served less than three years of a four-year sentence.
Philip Dean Hancock's defense credibility clash in courtroom
Hancock's attorneys argue that his trial attorney failed to adequately represent him and highlight the attorney's admitted struggle with drug and alcohol addiction during the trial.
They contend that Jett and Lynch orchestrated the confrontation, leading to Hancock's fight for survival.
However, the state's attorneys paint a different picture. They claim that Hancock provided inconsistent accounts of the events, with his testimony not aligning with the physical evidence at the crime scene.
Assistant Attorney General Joshua Lockett emphasized that "Hancock's credibility was absolutely eviscerated at trial because his claims conflicted with the evidence."
Grim aftermath of Philip Dean Hancock's alleged pursuit
Lockett further revealed a chilling detail, alleging that after shooting Jett inside the house, Hancock pursued him into the backyard.
There, a witness testified that Jett, wounded and desperate, uttered, "I'm going to die," to which Hancock allegedly callously responded, "Yes, you are," before firing another fatal shot.
Lockett added, "Chasing someone down, telling them you are about to kill them and then doing it is not self-defense."
The parole board's decision comes amid pleas from family members of the victims, urging the panel not to recommend clemency.
Ryan Jett, the brother of one of the deceased, emphasized that "my brother was an angel by any means, but he didn't deserve to die in the backyard like a dog," Daily Mail reports.
During his testimony on Wednesday, November 8, through a video link from the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, Hancock asserted that he approached the residence "unarmed and unsuspecting."
He expressed his terror, narrating how Jett, armed at the time, compelled him into a cage. "Please understand the awful situation I found myself in. I have no doubt they would have killed me. They forced me to fight for my life," Hancock pleaded.