Oklahoma death row inmate denied request for new hearing

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma appeals court has rejected a request for a new hearing from a death row inmate convicted in the burning death of a woman he had dated. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Thursday turned down the request by 37-year-old Donnie Harris Jr. for post-conviction release.

Harris argued there was lost evidence, including a cigarette lighter that prosecutors allege was used to set 25-year-old Kristi Ferguson, of Pocola, on fire. The court said information about missing evidence would have made no difference in the outcome of the trial because of the strength of other evidence against Harris.