Inmate convicted in neighbor’s hate crime slaying dies six months into life sentence

An Oklahoma inmate sentenced to life without parole for killing his Lebanese neighbor in a hate crime has died just six months after he was condemned to life in prison.

According to Tulsa WorldStanley Vernon Majors, 63, was found dead Wednesday in an infirmary bed at Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. The details surrounding his death aren’t immediately known; the medical examiner’s office will be conducting an autopsy to determine his cause and manner of death.

Majors was convicted in February of first-degree murder and hate crime charges for the August 2016  shooting death of Khalid Jabara, 37. Tulsa World reported that Majors had a long, documented history of harassing the Jabara family—witnesses testified they heard Majors call the family “terrorists,” “filthy Lebanese,” and “Ay-rabs.”

KFOR noted that defense attorneys claimed Major exhibited signs of dementia and long-term memory loss. However, the court found him competent to stand trial following a mental competency examination.

After the murder conviction, Majors was found guilty of running over Jabara’s mother with his car in 2015, breaking her shoulder. He was ultimately sentenced to 15 years but was already serving life in prison without parole, according to Fox News.

The Jabaras said they’re processing Majors’ death.

“We continue to work to honor Khalid’s memory, advocating for bail reform, victims’ rights and combating hate,” they said in a statement. “This news does nothing to change that focus.”

 

[Featured image: Stanley Majors/Oklahoma Department of Corrections]