Police Chief James Clifford Norman

James Clifford Norman

Chief James Norman was shot and killed after leaving a celebration for his appointment as chief.

He had just met with other officers at a coffee shop and as he was leaving he stopped to talk with a man in a vehicle. He then drove away. Moments later a deputy jailer heard two shots and called police. Other officers found Chief Norman slumped over his steering wheel suffering from two gunsot wounds from a 30-06 rifle.

Chief Norman was also a Pushmataha County Deputy Sheriff. The 26-year-old suspect, who was arrested the next day, was the owner of a local tavern that had been closed by the Pushmataha County Sheriff's Office. He was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life on May 11, 1971. He was denied parole in April of 2014. His next parole hearing is in April of 2017.

Chief Norman had been in law enforcement for nine months and is survived by his wife, son, and two daughters. He was a Korean War Veteran, and is buried at Finlay Cemetery in Finlay, Oklahoma.