You are here

Attorney General O’Connor Comments on Pardon and Parole Board Vote on Richard Stephen Fairchild

OKLAHOMA CITY – Attorney General John O’Connor released the following statement after the Pardon and Parole Board denied clemency for Richard Stephen Fairchild.

“Adam Broomhall was just three years old when his mother’s boyfriend, Richard Stephen Fairchild, brutally tortured him to death on November 13, 1993, for wetting the bed. Fairchild, a former amateur boxer, beat, burned, and threw Adam into the side of a table, silencing his cries forever.

“Adam’s 17-year-old aunt was at the home to take care of Adam and his sisters, but she was forced to leave due to Fairchild’s repeated sexual assaults.  Had she been able to stay, Adam would have had a loving caregiver and would likely not have been murdered that night.

“The medical examiner determined that Adam suffered four to six blows on the front of his head. He also suffered very painful second-degree burns.

“Ultimately, an Oklahoma jury decided death was the just and appropriate punishment for the horrific murder of Adam. The conviction and sentence were affirmed after years of thorough reviews by the appellate courts.

“The Board’s decision to deny Fairchild’s request for executive clemency was the right decision. Our thoughts and prayers are with Adam’s family.”