Grieving OKC Mother Pleads For Change To Death Penalty Rules

Hundreds of people are joining a petition to change death penalty requirements in Oklahoma.

Roxanne Randall, whose toddler son Lincoln died last year, launched the campaign last week.

In Oklahoma, there are eight different aggravating factors that would merit the death penalty. None of those specifically address the murder of a child, and Randall hopes to change that.

Last summer, 19-month-old Lincoln Lewis suffered skull fractures and died. Randall’s boyfriend, Tulsa dentist Bert Franklin, was arrested in connection with the death. Franklin is awaiting the trial against him, which starts in September, but the most severe sentence possible if he is found guilty is life in prison.

On Thursday, Randall created a change.org petition addressed to Governor Mary Fallin and U.S. Senator James Lankford, asking them to start the process of adding child murder as a qualifier for capital punishment.

Randall told News 9 that even though it is too late for what she believes would be justice for Lincoln, Randall wants to help other families who suffer in the future.

In three days, the petition collected nearly 700 signatures.

Randall told News 9 she is also speaking with state legislators about changing the law.