EDMOND — An Oklahoma County jury this week convicted 31-year-old Marcus Isaiah Clancy in the death of 5-year-old Declan Stewart in 2007. The jury is recommending life with parole as Clancy’s sentence.
We wish to express our gratitude for the conviction in this terrible crime. No child should ever suffer the way Declan Stewart did before his death.
In his short time on this earth, Declan visited the emergency room at least six times, and with injuries that most adults will never know the pain of. We’re grateful that most will not know the type of suffering Declan knew, but infinitely sad that this small child had to bear this type of pain.
What this case highlights is that far too many Oklahoma mothers make poor choices in boyfriends and mates, and their children pay the price. In this case, Declan paid the ultimate price by living — and dying — with an abusive person in his home.
This case also highlights yet again that our state safety net for children also failed. Declan had been removed from the home, only to be returned there, which became his death sentence.
One bright spot in this case is that a murderer is not walking free to harm anyone else in our community.
This board would like to thank Edmond Police Detective Mark Oak for his ingenious work in solving this case. He and other officers worked tirelessly to build a solid case against Clancy.
Clancy told police that Declan climbed on top of something in a closet trying to reach a pair of binoculars and fell, hitting the back of his head against a metal bed rail. By re-enacting what allegedly happened to the boy, Oak and his fellow officers were able to determine that scenario could not possibly work with the type of injuries suffered by Declan when factoring in his height and weight. And for the record, Declan died of blunt force trauma to the head plus serious internal injuries, including one to the pancreas.
This community can rest easier this weekend knowing that Clancy will remain in jail and that law enforcement officers like Detective Oak are working on our behalf to keep our residents safe and see that justice is served.
Our View
Thank you, jury
- Our View
-
-
OUR VIEW: Feb. 14 vote about ideas
If you read any of the letters to the editor in the past two weeks regarding Tuesday’s District 2 Edmond school board race, then you already know that this election is not about the individual candidates so much as it’s about what type of school board do Edmond residents really want governing their school district?
-
OUR VIEW: Bright spots highlight 2011
Last year was mostly marked with grim economic news and continued worries for the future by most individuals and businesses. However, there were several bright spots that highlighted 2011 and they are good examples why Edmond continues to weather the nation’s economic storms better than most.
-
City still needs a business navigator
At the outset of her first term in office, then-Mayor Patrice Douglas appointed a task force dedicated to helping the City of Edmond better understand the needs of small businesses in our city. This task force met for several months and released a number of recommendations for how the city could better serve this huge sector of its economy.
-
OUR VIEW: It’s time to bring ME’s office to Edmond
The exhumation of Dwite Morgan’s body earlier this month by state and local authorities is a travesty and symbolizes what has been wrong with the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s office.
-
OUR VIEW: HOPE needs your help
Stories like the one shared today by Oneka Parker on page A1 are both troubling and uplifting at the same time. It’s a stark realization that so many Edmond residents find themselves in crisis and in need of basic, everyday supplies. But it’s a blessing to know that someplace like the nonprofit HOPE Center exists to help residents like Parker.
-
Our View: Sustainment center good news for Tinker
The Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base will now be a command site for a new Air Force sustainment and logistics center. Other changes include adding a three-star general that oversees operations at Tinker and two other Air Force bases.
-
Our View: DHS needs an overhaul
A recent conviction of an Edmond foster mother has added fuel to the angry fire of scorn heaped at Oklahoma’s child welfare system. The system has been rocked by multiple recent failures ending in the loss of very young, innocent lives entrusted to either the state’s care or supervision.
In the case of Amy L. Holder, she was convicted of felony child abuse and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine plus a $10,000 assessment to the victim’s compensation fund with no jail time in the death of 2-year-old Naomi Whitecrow. Family members of the victim seethed with anger at how the system failed their young relative. -
Peters exemplifies service
This Friday is special for more than just a national commemoration of Veterans Day. It also will mark the induction of Edmond resident Oren Lee Peters and eight other military veterans into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame. The annual banquet will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Oklahoma Christian University. The ceremony also will posthumously honor 14 Comanche code talkers who made pivotal contributions to encoding communications during World War II.
-
OUR VIEW: Brain gain plan needs to start earlier
Gov. Mary Fallin came to the University of Central Oklahoma campus along with State Superintendent Janet Barresi in September and touted her new “brain gain” initiative. The goal of the new program is to increase the 30,500 college degrees conferred annually now by 67 percent to 50,900 degrees annually by the year 2023.
-
Our View: Time to look at what’s next
With voter confidence strongly behind city leaders, the Public Safety Center project can now move to the planning stage.
- More Our View Headlines
-
OUR VIEW: Feb. 14 vote about ideas
