Oklahoma Prepares to Execute James Pavatt
Pavatt is scheduled for lethal injection on Nov. 12 after clemency was denied in a 3-2 vote by the state's Pardon and Parole Board.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Sex Crimes
James Pavatt, sentenced to death for the 2001 murder of Oklahoma City advertising executive Rob Andrew, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Thursday, Nov. 12, at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board denied his clemency request in a 3-2 vote last month.
Why it matters
The scheduled execution would mark the fourth person put to death in Oklahoma in 2026, and it follows a clemency decision that was narrowly decided. Advocacy groups opposed to capital punishment are organizing a protest and vigil in response.
Pavatt was sentenced to death for the 2001 murder of Rob Andrew, a 39-year-old father of two. The Pardon and Parole Board's 3-2 clemency denial last month leaves the Nov. 12 execution date in place, though the source does not report on any pending stay requests.
The players
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond
Gentner Drummond is the Oklahoma Attorney General, the state's chief legal officer, who issued a statement regarding Pavatt's execution.
Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
The Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty is an advocacy group opposing capital punishment in the state, and it is organizing the protest and vigil ahead of the execution.
Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board is the state body that reviews clemency requests, and it denied Pavatt's request in a 3-2 vote.
The details
Evidence at Pavatt's trial showed he began an affair with Brenda Andrew in 2001, and prosecutors argued he killed Rob Andrew to collect an $800,000 insurance policy. The Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty is holding a "Don't Kill For Me" protest and vigil in front of the Governor's Mansion, where participants will stand in silence until a stay is received or the execution is carried out.
Timeline
2001: Rob Andrew was murdered and Pavatt's affair with Brenda Andrew began.
Last month: The Pardon and Parole Board denied Pavatt's clemency in a 3-2 vote.
Thursday, Nov. 12 at 9 a.m.: Protest and vigil begin at the Governor's Mansion.
Thursday, Nov. 12 at 10 a.m.: Scheduled lethal injection at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester.
Legal Context
Pavatt's scheduled execution would be the fourth carried out in Oklahoma in 2026, continuing a year of executions in the state. The 3-2 clemency vote from the Pardon and Parole Board shows the close margins on which such decisions have been made.
Residents near the Governor's Mansion in Oklahoma City may see the Thursday morning protest and vigil, which is scheduled from 9 a.m. The execution at McAlester is set for 10 a.m. the same day, so the state's capital punishment process will be publicly visible that morning.
The takeaway
The Pavatt case shows how a narrow clemency vote can still leave an execution date fixed, so readers following Oklahoma's capital punishment process should track the Nov. 12 schedule and any stay filings that may follow.
What happens next
Pavatt is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 10 a.m. at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, and the protest and vigil are set to begin at 9 a.m. that day.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Sex Crimes reporting in Oklahoma.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KOKH.
