Oklahoma death row inmate requests second clemency hearing

To call a special meeting, the board would have to give notice of such a meeting by Friday, because Oklahoma law requires 48 business hours of notification.

An emergency meeting could be called closer to the Tuesday's scheduled execution.

In a letter written to The Oklahoman last month, Matthews maintained his innocence.

"The real truth is that there is not one shred of evidence to place me at the crime scene; not DNA, not fingerprints, not gun residue, (for which I was tested) not fiber evidence, and not voice recognition. NOTHING," he wrote.

The prosecution has laid out its case on several occasions. Its case includes the following evidence:

• Matthews was identified by an accomplice as the one who shot Otis short.

• A bottle of Xanax, $500 cash and a .32-caliber pistol were taken during the robbery. When Matthews was arrested, authorities found a bottle of Xanax and three $100 bills in his freezer.

• A man testified he loaned Matthews a loaded .45-caliber pistol just hours before the murder.

• The Shorts' .32-caliber pistol and a .45-caliber pistol were found buried behind Matthews' house five months after the murder. Ballistics tests confirmed a bullet fragment recovered from Short's body was fired from that .45-caliber pistol.

Branham wrote in his letter to the parole board that several family members of the Shorts are appalled that Matthews has twice been granted a stay of execution.

Branham wrote: "These family members are certain that the only way to hold Matthews responsible for his murderous actions is death by lethal injection."