Representative Rande Worthen

R

District 64

Hi, I'm Rande Worthen and I represent the people of Oklahoma's 64th District.


representative

News & Announcements

Feb 17, 2025
Recent Posts

House Members Praise Competency Reevaluation of Death Row Inmate

A Comanche County judge has ruled that the competency of Ricky Ray Malone, who was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for the 2003 execution-style shooting death of Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Nik Green, must be reevaluated to determine if he is eligible for execution. In December, Attorney General Genter Drummond filed a motion requesting the reevaluation, and last week a judge agreed. The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services will reevaluate Malone to determine if he is now able to be executed. An agreement on reevaluation requirements is due March 5. Rep. Trey Caldwell, R-Faxon, praised Drummond's efforts in seeking justice for the Green family.  "This family has waited over two decades for justice to be served, and I am hopeful this evaluation will show Malone is fit to pay the ultimate price for brutally murdering a public servant in the line of duty," said Caldwell, chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee. It has been more than 20 years since Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Nik Green was fatally shot after he stopped to check on a vehicle parked on the side of the road in Cotton County. In 2017, it was determined Malone was not mentally competent for execution and he was moved off death row in McAlester to the Oklahoma Forensic Center in Vinita. He will be reevaluated to determine if he is now competent to be put to death.  Caldwell, along with other Lawton-area Reps. Daniel Pae, Brad Boles, Toni Hasenbeck, Rande Worthen, Stacy Adams and Jonathan Wilk, R-Goldsby, thanked Drummond for his swift action. "I hope the attorney general will continue to use the full weight of his office to make sure justice is carried out in this case," said Caldwell. "This family deserves closure." This case led to the introduction of  House Bill 1693  by Rep. Rande Worthen this legislative session, which puts concrete timelines and requirements on competency reevaluations and adds requirements on competency reevaluation services. The bill will be considered in the House Judiciary – Criminal Committee Tuesday. "Victims and their families deserve to know the timeline and status of a convicted murderer on death row," said Worthen, R-Lawton. "We want to make sure if someone is deemed incompetent to be executed that they are reevaluated on a recurring basis and the state is doing all it can to restore competency when possible so justice can be done." -END-

Dec 10, 2024
Recent Posts

Motion Filed to Reevaluate Competency of Death Row Inmate

Attorney General Gentner Drummond has filed a motion in Comanche County district court to reevaluate the competency of Ricky Ray Malone, who was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for the 2003 execution-style shooting death of Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Nik Green. Rep. Trey Caldwell, R-Lawton, worked with Green's family to better understand why Malone wasn't being scheduled since the state restarted executions in 2022.  It has been more than 20 years since Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Nik Green was fatally shot after he stopped to check on a vehicle parked on the side of the road in Cotton County. His family is unfortunately still waiting for justice to be served in the case, two decades later. "Trooper Green's family has waited long enough to see justice served," said Caldwell. "This public servant was brutally murdered on the side of the road in the line of duty, was convicted of a jury of his peers, and should face the penalty set for him decades ago." In 2017, it was determined Malone was not mentally competent for execution and he was moved off death row in McAlester to the corrections facility in Vinita. He will now be reevaluated to determine if he is now competent to be put to death.  "The family of Trooper Green has waited more than 20 agonizing years for justice to be served," said Drummond. "It is a travesty that justice remains elusive. My office will work next legislative session to ensure death row inmates cannot escape execution without concerted efforts at the Oklahoma Forensic Center for competency to be restored. In the meantime, we are requesting that Trooper Green's murderer be reevaluated by a new expert so that the State can proceed with his execution." Caldwell, along with other Lawton-area Reps. Daniel Pae, Brad Boles, Toni Hasenbeck, Rande Worthen, Stacy Adams and Jonathan Wilk, R-Goldsby, thanked Drummond for his swift action. "We completely support AG Drummond's endeavor to request a reevaluation and urge him to use the full weight of his office to make sure justice is carried out in this case," said Caldwell. "This family deserves closure." Caldwell and Worthen, R-Lawton, are also working with Drummond on legislation for the 2025 legislative session to put concrete timelines and requirements on competency reevaluations and add requirements on competency reevaluation services as a result of this case. "Families should not have to wonder about the status of a convicted murderer on death row," said Caldwell. "We want to make sure if someone is deemed incompetent to be executed that they are reevaluated on a recurring basis and the state is doing all it can to restore competency when possible so justice can be done."

Aug 29, 2024
Recent Posts

Lawton Lawmakers Call for Investigative Audit into Comanche County Sheriff Runoff Election

Reps. Trey Caldwell, R-Lawton, Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, Rande Worthen, R-Lawton, Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, and Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, today sent an urgent letter to Secretary Paul Ziriax formally requesting an investigative audit into the August 27 runoff election for Comanche County sheriff. The legislators expressed serious concerns following reports that multiple ineligible voters received a ballot for the Republican runoff election for Comanche County sheriff. The legislators said this clear breach of electoral protocol occurred despite at least one voter contacting the Comanche County Election Board regarding the incorrect ballot, with the issue not realized until after the ballot had been cast. According to an August 29 report by KSWO-TV 7News, the secretary of the Comanche County Election Board acknowledged the distribution of an incorrect ballot on election day. She also allegedly said that once a ballot enters the system, there’s nothing they can do about it.  In the letter, the legislators emphasized, "Given the importance of ensuring free and fair elections, we are deeply concerned that other ineligible voters may have received an incorrect ballot. A transparent investigation is crucial to maintaining public trust in our electoral process. "We have been advised that State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax has dispatched members of the State Election Board staff to the county election board to assess the situation. We ask the secretary to step in and ensure that a thorough review and audit is made of the situation and that appropriate action is taken if these allegations prove to be true." Citing Okla. Stat. tit. 26 § 1-104, the legislators reiterated that voters may only vote using the primary ballot under the party in which they are registered, stating, "no registered voter shall be permitted to vote in any Primary Election or Runoff Primary Election of any political party except the political party of which his registration form shows him to be a member…" The legislators said, “The right to vote is a fundamental expression of our American freedoms, and it must be fiercely protected to ensure the integrity of the November 5 presidential election. We must guarantee that each voter's voice is safeguarded and that every aspect of our electoral process remains secure and trustworthy." Read the letter here .