Oklahoma court reverses McGirt rulings in 4 death cases

By KEN MILLER
Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma appeals court has reversed four previous rulings that overturned death penalty cases based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited state jurisdiction for crimes committed on tribal reservations. The state court on Tuesday vacated rulings in the cases of death row inmates Shaun Bosse, James Ryder, Miles Bench and Benjamin Cole. Earlier in August, the court ruled that the U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt ruling does not apply retroactively. A spokesman for state Attorney General John O’Connor said it was not clear if the ruling reinstates the death penalty in the cases. The court’s ruling said it will rule later on the inmate’s request for post-conviction relief.