Oklahoma sues federal prisons for inmate it wants to execute

By KEN MILLER
Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma is suing the Federal Bureau of Prisons for custody of a state death row inmate who the bureau refuses to transfer, with the state saying the man’s December execution cannot be carried if he’s not returned shortly. John Hanson is serving a life sentence at a federal prison after convictions for being a career criminal and other crimes. State Attorney General John O’Connor filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday seeking his transfer. Hanson drew the state death penalty for the 1999 carjacking death of an elderly Tulsa woman. His lethal injection is scheduled Dec. 15. The Bureau of Prisons has said only that transferring custody is not in the public’s best interests.