A Washington County jury found an Oklahoma man guilty of first-degree manslaughter on March 1, in the death of an Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) worker that occurred in November 2011. The jury convicted Deven Wayne Franklin on three charges, including two drug-related charges, and recommended a four-year prison term for the 20-year-old, who was …
A Washington County jury found an Oklahoma man guilty of first-degree manslaughter on March 1, in the death of an Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) worker that occurred in November 2011. The jury convicted Deven Wayne Franklin on three charges, including two drug-related charges, and recommended a four-year prison term for the 20-year-old, who was accused of causing the death of Ira Henderson in a vehicle accident that took place in a construction zone in Oklahoma. If you have been charged with a serious criminal offense like manslaughter in Oklahoma City, or elsewhere in Oklahoma, don’t hesitate to protect your legal rights. Contact our criminal defense attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center today for legal help.
Marijuana Played Role in Fatal Crash
Ira Henderson, a 42-year-old ODOT worker from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, was killed when Franklin struck him with his car in an OK construction zone on U.S. 75. Franklin testified in court on February 28, and acknowledged that he had smoked marijuana prior to the accident. Although Franklin’s court-appointed attorney argued that the collision was caused by a diabetic episode, nothing that his blood sugar level was above 500 when the crash occurred, prosecutors argued that the 20-year-old was impaired by the marijuana, which resulted in the fatal construction-zone accident.
Penalties for Criminal Offenses in Oklahoma
Both manslaughter and drug-related crimes, like marijuana possession, are considered serious offenses in Oklahoma, and are punished accordingly by the state. Under Oklahoma law, a conviction for first-degree manslaughter carries a penalty of four or more years in prison, while drug crimes are punishable by jail time, mandatory drug testing, years of probation and/or parole and more. After deliberating for seven hours, the jury found Franklin guilty of felony first-degree manslaughter, possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia, recommending four years for the manslaughter offense and no prison time for the drug convictions.
Our Criminal Defense Lawyers Can Help
Being convicted of felony first-degree manslaughter can have a significant impact on a person’s life, and may even affect his or her personal and professional life in the future. If you have been arrested on charges of manslaughter, drug possession, or another criminal offense in Oklahoma, your first course of action should be to enlist the help of our reputable defense lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center. Remember that the success of your case depends heavily on the expertise of your legal representation. With our knowledgeable attorneys on your side, you can significantly improve your chances of a favorable outcome in your case.