A last-minute reprieve has saved the life of an Oklahoma inmate who was set to be executed by lethal injection on Tuesday, according to a recent report. The prisoner, identified as Donald Ray Totten, had been scheduled to die for the 2000 murder of his wife, but a stay of execution was granted just hours before the scheduled time.
According to eyewitnesses, Totten appeared calm and collected in the moments leading up to his potential execution. A video recorded by a fellow inmate shows Totten sitting quietly in his cell, staring straight ahead with no visible signs of distress or panic.
The reprieve came after an appeals court overturned a lower court's decision to deny Totten's request for clemency, paving the way for a final review of his case by the Oklahoma Pardons and Parole Board. A board spokesperson confirmed that Totten had indeed received a stay of execution, bringing an end to the scheduled execution.
While details surrounding Totten's decision not to carry out the execution remain unclear, experts speculate that the prisoner may have been influenced by the prospect of remaining incarcerated for another 15 years rather than facing death.
According to eyewitnesses, Totten appeared calm and collected in the moments leading up to his potential execution. A video recorded by a fellow inmate shows Totten sitting quietly in his cell, staring straight ahead with no visible signs of distress or panic.
The reprieve came after an appeals court overturned a lower court's decision to deny Totten's request for clemency, paving the way for a final review of his case by the Oklahoma Pardons and Parole Board. A board spokesperson confirmed that Totten had indeed received a stay of execution, bringing an end to the scheduled execution.
While details surrounding Totten's decision not to carry out the execution remain unclear, experts speculate that the prisoner may have been influenced by the prospect of remaining incarcerated for another 15 years rather than facing death.
. It's like, think about it, 15 more years is still gonna be tough for him, but at least he gets to live, you know? Some people say it was just about avoiding the harsh reality of prison life and all its struggles, I'm not sure if that's true, but one thing's for sure, justice system can be pretty messed up sometimes 
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Like, what even is that? The guy had been sitting in his cell, calm as a cucumber, and we're just chillin' watching it go down on our screens. Meanwhile, there's this huge drama unfolding in the background, and nobody's thinking about the actual human being behind all the stats and numbers.
! It's crazy how last-minute things can change in a situation like this. I feel bad for his family, though - it's been 25 years since the murder happened. You'd think he'd have gotten what was coming to him by now 
. But hey, at least we got some answers out of this. The idea that he might not want death just because he'll be stuck in prison for another 15 years makes sense... it's like, why would you want to end your own life over a longer sentence? 
Anyway, glad he's still breathing 
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can't believe they gave him a second chance! hope he gets to turn his life around and make amends in some way. feels like we're seeing a glimmer of hope that justice isn't always black & white, there's room for mercy & compassion too 
this is crazy how a reprieve can change everything in like hours 
it's mind-blowing that Donald Ray Totten was just chillin in his cell waiting for execution and then suddenly gets a stay of execution 
Man, this is just so crazy! I mean, can you even imagine being on death row and then having your execution stayed like it's no big deal? Like, don't get me wrong, I'm all about second chances and all that, but 15 more years in prison sounds like a whole lotta stress for Totten. And what's up with the appeals court overturning the lower court's decision like it was just a formality or something? 
The fact remains, though - life (or in this case, prison) goes on, and Totten's gotta adjust to a whole new reality now. 
think about an inmate who was literally counting down to his own execution but then gets a reprieve at the last minute... 15 more years in prison instead of eternal rest? 
What was going through his mind at that point? And 15 more years in prison is still pretty harsh... did the appeals court even consider the fact that he'd already been locked up for over 20 years? 
. I can only imagine the emotional rollercoaster he must have been on leading up to this point.
. Can anyone truly change their ways after committing such a heinous crime? Only time will tell, but for now, I'm just glad that his execution has been stayed 
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It's like, do you really want to spend the rest of your life in a cell for that? For Totten, it seems like 15 more years behind bars might be better than being strapped to a death chair 
. I don't know if I'd ever be able to sleep at night knowing I'm responsible for someone's death... but hey, to each their own, right? 