In the small, tightly-knit community of Delaware, Oklahoma, the life of 35-year-old Joshua Luke Stand came to a tragic end on June 16, 2014. On that day, Stand, a man known by locals to be both odd and harmless, was shot and killed by Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Jerrod Martin. The encounter, which unfolded on a rural blacktop road, left Stand with eight bullet wounds, including two in his back and one in his buttock.
The medical examiner's report officially ruled the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds and the manner as homicide. The report also noted the presence of acute methamphetamine intoxication.
The events leading to the fatal shooting began when Trooper Martin encountered Stand, who was barefoot and shirtless, walking down a Nowata County road. Dashcam footage from the trooper's vehicle captured the initial interaction, with Martin yelling at Stand to stop and put down a knife. Accounts from witnesses, however, contradicted the official report that Stand was threatening the trooper with the weapon. One witness stated they did not see a knife in Stand's hand as he ran from the officer. Another witness, observing through binoculars, claimed Stand was standing still across the street and not charging at or threatening the trooper when the shots were fired. Despite these differing accounts, the District Attorney for Washington and Nowata counties, Kevin Buchanan, ultimately concluded that the shooting was justified and decided not to file criminal charges against Trooper Martin, who was subsequently returned to active duty.
In the aftermath of Joshua Stand's death, his family voiced their belief that he was denied justice and that the Oklahoma Highway Patrol should have had other options besides deadly force. They highlighted Stand's long history of mental illness as a contributing factor to his behavior. In 2016, Stand's estate filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Trooper Martin, alleging the use of 'objectively unreasonable and excessive deadly force.' The lawsuit contended that Stand was armed only with a closed pocketknife and posed no immediate threat. The case was eventually settled out of court for $175,000, with neither side admitting fault. Years after his death, family and friends gathered for vigils to remember Joshua Stand, a man whose life was cut short in a hail of bullets on a quiet Oklahoma road.
