Denzil Garrison

Denzil Garrison (November 20, 1926 – January 15, 2018) was an American attorney and politician who served in the Oklahoma Legislature from 1957 to 1974. He was a member of the Republican Party.

Early life and family Denzil "Denny" Doss Garrison, was born on November 20, 1926, in Norman, Oklahoma, to Nita Ellen Smith and Joseph Don Garrison Sr. His father was a World War I veteran and the Norman Public Schools superintendent while his mother was a piano teacher. He attended Jefferson Grade School and Norman Junior High School. When his father was enlisted during World War II, he transferred to Columbus High School in Georgia, but he returned to Norman to graduate from Norman High School in 1944. Despite an offer to play football at the University of Oklahoma, Garrison initially enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in March 1945 and he was accepted into Officer Candidate School. After a year in Germany, he attended the University of Oklahoma before attending the University of Oklahoma College of Law. He won the election and served for two years before being elected to succeed Carl W. Staats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

Oklahoma House Staats convinced Garrison to run to succeed him and he was elected without opposition. During his tenure, he testified in a federal lawsuit that eventually led to an order by Judge Frederick Alvin Daugherty to reapportion the Oklahoma Senate. He served in that district until he retired in 1973. He was succeeded by Jerry T. Pierce.

Randall Herrod trial

In 1970, Garrison and Democratic state senator Gene Stipe represented Randall Herrod, a Muscogee member of the United States Marine Corps who led the patrol that committed the Sơn Thắng massacre, during his court martial. Garrison was quickly convinced to represent Herrod since his uncle saved him from a crashed aircraft during the Korean War. Stipe had previously represented a Vietnam War fragging case in California and agreed to take the case with Garrison, serving as lead counsel.

Later life and death Garrison later served as the legislative liaison for Governor David Boren. He died on January 15, 2018, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Electoral history

Works