Oklahoma News: SCOTUS Rules For Brenda Andrew, OKCPD Rape Case Dismissed

Welcome to the Wednesday after a Monday holiday. It always feels like a Tuesday! BTW, if your trash day normally falls on Monday, you might still have a few seconds to wheel out the cart. 🏃‍➡️

Don’t rush. We’ll be right here.

Wednesday Weather

In Oklahoma City, we’ll be well above freezing by 11 a.m. In Tulsa, it will be borderline.

🌡️ High in OKC 43°
🌡️ High in Tulsa 41°.

KFOR Chief Meteorologist Mike Morgan showed off several photos and videos from the winter storm that has vexed the Deep South this week. You don’t see this in New Orleans often!

Weather Links:
⛐ Oklahoma road conditions 
🏠 OKC-area warming shelters
🏠 Tulsa-area warming shelters

🗞️ Big Story: SCOTUS Rules For Brenda Andrew In Death Row Case

The only woman on death row in Oklahoma gets another chance to save her life thanks to the Supreme Court. Justices ruled 7-2 on Tuesday convicted murderer Brenda Andrew could pursue a claim that prosecutors overly focused on her sexuality during trial.

Coverage:

✅ New York Times (paywall)
✅ Yahoo!
✅ News On 6

OKCPD Rape Case Dismissed

Charges against an Oklahoma City Police officer accused of rape, kidnapping and domestic assault and battery were dismissed on Tuesday. KOCO reports that the case against Ryan Len Stark was dismissed after it was determined that the alleged victim would not cooperate with prosecutors.

Oklahoma Headlines

• Price Tower in Bartlesville is being sold (KOKI)
• Bill would criminalize medical marijuana for pregnant women (The Frontier)
• Education bills to watch in the Okla. Legislature (Oklahoma Watch)
• High school hoopsters accused of robbery don ankle monitors (News On 6)
• Stavian Rodriguez lawsuit settled (NonDoc)

Edmond Mayoral Debate At 5:45 P.M.

If you live in Edmond, take note! It’s Debate Night in Oklahoma.

Each of the candidates to become the city’s next mayor agreed to debate the issues as part of NonDoc’s political debate series. Blake Douglas details the who, when, and where. Editor in chief Tres Savage will be joined by Griffin Media’s state Capitol reporter Haley Weger on stage for the big event, which will be streamed on News9.com at 5:45 p.m.

✨ Don’t Miss This!

The owner of an animal shelter in Choctaw risked her life to save several of her dogs Tuesday morning after a barn caught fire. KOCO’s Shelby Montgomery tells the tale of heroism—and shares what the community is doing to help (and how you can, too!).

👀 Businesses: Activate Like A Newsroom!

Imagine what your public relations and communications efforts could be if your teams truly activated like a newsroom.

• Going direct-to-audience with your messages

• Owning the narrative

• Capturing attention faster

It’s what I do in my new post-newsroom life: work with businesses, brands and entrepreneurs to show them how to ‘activate like a newsroom’ to level up the attention they need to succeed at scale!

Visit my website at doabledigitalmedia.com, or message me anytime at [email protected].

📬 Subscribe Now:

If you’re not subscribed to Oklahoma Memo, now’s the time to “get the Memo!”

Wake up to a round-up of the top news from all across Oklahoma, all in one spot.

Stay safe today. Watch out for crazy drivers, and if you wouldn’t mind doing so, tell a friend about the ‘Oklahoma Memo!’

Today’s Photo:

Marielam1, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Who Wrote This?

My name is Ryan Welton, and I’ve been an Oklahoma journalist for three decades having worked at News 9, News On 6 (Griffin Media), KOCO, and long before that the El Campo (TX) Leader-News, Hugo Daily News, Henryetta Daily Free Lance, and The Oklahoma Daily (now OU Daily).

I live in Oklahoma City with my family, and I’m currently watching “Lioness” with my wife and stepdaughter.