Tension grows among Oklahoma courts, legislature

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Long-running tension among Oklahoma’s three branches of government reached a boiling point last week after a court decision in two death row cases.

Gov. Mary Fallin accused the state’s Supreme Court of overstepping its bounds and some Republican lawmakers were so upset by the court’s ruling that they called for the impeachment of justices.

The high court temporarily delayed the pending execution of two death row inmates, then later dropped the stays.

The rift between the Supreme Court on one side and the Republican governor and legislature on the other has been growing for some time.

Despite the rancor, when the Republican-controlled House had an opportunity Thursday to give the Legislature more power in the selection of judges, the attempt was overwhelmingly shot down.