Richard Norman Rojem Jr and The Murder of Layla CUmmings
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Richard’s Childhood
Richard Normen Rojem JR was born on December 19th, 1957. He was born into a family with generational dysfunction. His parents and caretakers were all alcoholics throughout his childhood. Richard was born prematurely with an orthopedic deformity and disability. This is simply a distortion of the shape or size of your bones which could lead to fucked up hand's feet legs etc. but in Richard's case he had a painfully dislocated hip which only made Richard’s first three years of life possible with a full body cast. When Richard was 3 his father was killed in a bar fight. This meant Richard had to be raised solely by his mother. Who was 17 years old. He grew up in a very overcrowded household that fit 13 people in 1500 square feet. Richard saw a lot of domestic disputes and fights between his mother and his stepfather and Richard was sexually abused by his older step brother. Richard had a genetic predisposition to developing psychological problems such as schizophrenia, Bipolar and other personality disorders. So, no wonder this dude never made it in life.
Richard’s First Rape Charge
When Richard was 21 years old, he raped 2 teenage girls in Macomb County Michigan. He was charged and convicted for 3 counts of criminal sexual conduct and 1 count of second-degree sexual conduct. He was then sentenced to 2 concurrent 6–15-year sentences. While in prison he was cell mates with a man who I don’t have the name of but this cellmate had a sister and the sister’s name was Mindy Cummings. After Richard was released after a short 4-year term in prison for RAPE! He and Mindy got married.
Mindy had 2 children, Layla and her older brother Jason. Richard was sexually violent with Mindy. And no shocker, Richard did not have a good relationship with the children. This led to Layla Cummings, the daughter, to report Richard’s violence and Richard was sent back to prison for violating his parole. After this Mindy obtained a restraining order against Richard and filed for divorce. This was granted in May of 1984. Richard was released soon after this.
The night of the murder
In the dark of night of July 6th 1984, Richard left the bar around 11:50 pm. Richard later called his place of work around 1:14 am on July 7th and asked the dispatcher to log the time of the call at 12:35. Later that morning Richard called again to request that the time be set to the correct time.
That morning on July 7th Layal Cummings stabbed and brutalized body was found by a farmer, in a field in Burns Flat 15 miles away from her mother’s apartment, still wearing her mother’s nightgown. The farmer came no closer than ten feet.
Police were called and arrived on scene. There they found foot prints that were undistinguishable and tire tracks leading from the country road into the field and then leaving. They also found part of a condom wrapper. The police suspected Richard and searched his house later July 7th. In his bedroom, they found a used condom in the garbage along with the other part of the condom wrapper. The other piece of the wrapper matched the one found at the crime scene and the condom was also found to match the ones available to buy in the men's bathroom at the bar Richard was at that night.
The police interrogated Richard about his whereabouts and he said he left the bar when it closed, drove to The Burns Flat Superette supermarket, 24.7 miles from the bar and arrived around 1:10 am. He said he stopped by his girlfriend’s house in Dill City Oklahoma before heading home. Police weren’t believing any of it were able to find enough evidence to arrest Richard.
After the bar and before calling his work Richard abducted young Layla from her apartment in Elk City, Oklahoma that Mindy, Layla and her brother were living at. A beer cup that matched the cups at the bar was found with Richard’s finger prints on it outside the building. Mindy was working a night shift at McDonald’s that night and Richard was told Mindy’s work schedule and that Mindy’s door lock was broken by a family member. Mindy was notified by the individual who was watching the apartment from across the street that Layla was missing. Richard entered the house and coursed Layla into coming with him. He then drove Layla 15 miles away to the field in Burns Flat.
The medical examiner testified in court that Layla had two large stab wounds to her neck area which severed a major artery and pierced a lung. She was also stabbed in her vaginal region and suffered other rape caused injuries to her vaginal and rectal area. These included bruising, lacerations to the hymen and vaginal walls and finger nail gouges to the buttocks which indicated forced rape. There was no sperm found in or on the body.
The Crime Scene and Evidence
The footprints in the soil around Layla’s body but were not distinguishable but the tire tracks at the scene did end up matching to Richard's truck. The tire tracks showed that someone drove a vehicle into the field from the county road with two tires with 7 ribs each on the rear, a tire on the front left which had 6 ribs and a bald tire on the front right. The tires were compatible with tires on Richard's truck, except for the front right tire, the bald one. However, there was evidence that, the right front tire had been changed, possibly as recent as the day of the murder. After the found the condom wrapper that linked Richard to the crime scene as well.
Richard was being held at Beckham County Jail and On July 28th 1984 Richard was charged with the kidnapping, rape and murder of Layla. The prosecutors were seeking the death penalty.
Trial and Sentencing
On June 1st 1985 Richard stood trial. At trial Mindy Cummings discussed the terms of her and Richard’s reconciliation which included: no talk of Christianity in the home, Richard be able to smoke pot and drink alcohol, and that he be allowed to fool around with other women as long as he not bring it home. Mindy described their sexual activity as violent, leaving behind “fingerprint bruises on [her] bottom” and that he didn’t use condoms. A second witness Ladonna Broddrick testified that her and Richard never used condoms. And a third woman, Teresa Spake, that they didn’t use condoms either and that Richard asked her to shave her pubic hair because he started his sex life at a young age, referring to his older brother’s abuse. The defense objected to Spake discussing their relations and later asked for a mistrial.
Richard was convicted of the crime in the District Court of Washita County by Judge Paul C Braun. He was sentenced to death for the murder and 1000 years each for the kidnapping and rape convictions, if only he got 1000 years the first time, he raped someone.
After the Murder:
Before the trial Richard taunted the family with conspiracy theories and pleas of innocence. He started targeting Layla’s father Don. Mindy Cummings wrote “He taunted Don with accusations that he had failed to protect his daughter and this it was, therefore, his fault.” After the first trial concluded, Don sadly committed suicide in Michigan. He wrote a note that said “Maybe now I can rest”
Mindy made a statement saying “Today, we also honor the memory of Layla and Jason’s father, Don Cummings, who is not with us today due to the absolute evil or a monster who purposely tormented him to the brink of despair that ended his life.”
Vicky Cummings, Layla aunt later stated at a parole hearing ”Only 14 months had passed since he (Don) and I stood by the tiny white casket of his 7-year-old daughter, I beg of you, feel his pain."
Appeals
Now Richard appealed and contended that there was insufficient evidence that penetration occurred to support his rape conviction. He argues that the medical examiner could not state definitely that penetration occurred. Therefore, the circumstantial evidence “of some sexual activity in the vicinity (the condom wrapper) does not establish that there was the requisite penetration.” But a witness can’t say for sure that something happened especially the medical examiner. They are there to present their finding and tell what the body had suffered and they can infer what happened based on injuries but can’t say “this is exactly what happened and I know it.” Make sense?
Oklahoma law requires that actual penetration is required for a rape charge, however that any sexual penetration, however slight, supports a rape conviction. So that could mean an object or fingers, not necessarily a penis. But in Richard’s case the medical examiner testified that Layla’s hymen, labia major and minor and vaginal walls were bruised. It was Dr Choi’s opinion that the bruising resulted from a blunt force trauma to the hymen was consistent with being caused by a male penis. She also stated the injuries were inflicted while the victim was still alive. They clearly rejected that bullshit argument.
Next Richard’s contends the kidnapping charges, arguing that there was no evidence that the victim was ever held without her will and that she went willingly with Richard. He argues further that he knew Layla since his marriage with her mother Mindy. There was no evidence of a struggle to support the kidnapping conviction. However, just because there wasn't a struggle doesn't negate the conviction.
“A child of tender years is ordinarily regarded as incapable of consenting to its seizure and abduction and, when taken from its rightful guardian, is deemed to have been taken without its consent as a matter of law.”
They rejected this as well.
There’s also some arguments with a jury that said due to her beliefs she couldn’t give the death penalty but then when questioned further an given an example case she said she might. It wasn’t that significant to change the outcome of the trial and would’ve more than likely helped Richard more.
There’s more stuff with a change of venue because of Newpapers written about him years prior for his first rape conviction. Lack of funds for his own expert testimony. Excluding people over 70 from being a juror. Blah Blah
However, these are the bullshit argument but on March 31st 2001 the 10th US Circuit of Appeals unanimously overturned his sentencing. They court ruled that the trial judge violated his Constitutional Rights. The judge didn’t ask the jury to consider the mitigating circumstances when looking at the aggravating circumstances. They ordered a resentencing and the prosecution sought the death penalty again. Even though Richard was granted new DNA testing, he was resentenced to death in 2003. 3 years later, in 2006, Richard’s sentencing was overturned again due to issues with the sentencing jury. He was once again sentenced to death. Imagine you’re sentenced to death 3 fucking times. That is clearly stating how much of a fucking monster this guy was. After appealing his third death sentence, The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals rejected his pleas. There were some errors in the 2007 sentencing they admitted but stated the death sentence was “factually substantiated and appropriate.” And finally in 2010 the US Supreme Court rejected his appeals and affirmed his death sentence. Richard continued to fight the case until all his appeals for eventually exhausted in 2017 when the US Supreme Court denied to hear his case. Jack Fisher, Richard’s defense attorney stated “There’s nothing else really we can do, he’s ready to just go on.”
THE DEATH PENALTY HOLD UP
In 2015 Oklahoma was the first state to authorize executions by nitrogen hypoxia should the lethal injections be declared unconstitutional or unavailable. And coming into 2016 the death penalty was put on pause due to issues with the lethal injection process. This came about because of the execution of Charles Fredrick Warner. It was found that Fredrick was given the wrong drugs after his execution on February 15th, 2015.
In 2018 the state announced their plans to switch its method completely to nitrogen hypoxia asphyxiation however in 2020 the state announced to resume using the three-drug lethal injection method.
The first execution after the reinstatement was described as botched. Media witnesses report the inmate repeatedly convulsed and vomited. This was the execution of John Grant. Autopsies showed that he suffered pulmonary edema and intramuscular hemorrhaging throughout his executions, eventually aspirating on his vomit as a result of the lethal injection process. The autopsy describes there was a quick buildup of fluids in his lungs that creates a feeling of suffocation or drowning that experts have likened to waterboarding.
Time in Prison
In prison Richard became a “Zen Buddhist and is highly respected by his Zen Buddhist friends.” He was known by other followers as Daiji according to his attorneys, which I don’t understand because Daiji there are so many different things that are Daiji... It was once a Japanese era name from year 1126. Then it’s also a set of Japanese number sets that are used in legal and financial documents to prevent fraud since the normal sets of numerals are basic, the Daiji number set is more complex so a person can’t add an extra dash to make a 1 into a 2 or 3 for example. Anyway, I don’t understand how the fuck this relates to Richard being a Daiji. I tried but there’s your Japanese culture info of the week which is still cool.
Final appeal and clemency
The week before Richard’s execution he filed for clemency.
Richard at the hearing stated “I did not murder Layla.” However, he never denied his involvement is earlier wrongdoings like raping two teenage girls in 1978.
Concerning this he said “I wasn’t a good human being for the first part of my life, and I don’t deny that,” a handcuffed Richard said. “But I went to prison. I learned my lesson and I left all that behind.”
Jack Fisher, Richard’s attorney told the pardon and parole board that Richard didn’t receive a fair trial from the beginning (in 1985) and that Richard was now a Zen Buddhist and would not “be a threat to anyone”
However, Mindy Cumming had some different thoughts:
"Everything she might have been was stolen from her one horrific night,” “She never got to be more than the precious 7-year-old that she was. And so, she remains in our hearts − forever 7.”
Layla’s Aunt Vicky said she waited "40 long years" to see Rojem die.
“I have become weary all these years pressing against that prison door trying to keep him in," Vicky Cummings said. "Having to relive ... this horror − time and time again."
After this the pardon board took less than one minute to deny Richard’s Clemency 5-0.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a news release. “I am pleased the Pardon and Parole Board denied clemency for the monster who savagely raped and murdered an innocent child and caused unimaginable suffering for her family,” “Justice for Layla will be served when he is executed on June 27.” "Her killer is a real-life monster who deserves the same absence of mercy he showed to the child he savagely murdered." “The family of Layla Cummings has wanted 40 years for justice to be done.”
Jack Fisher told said that the parole and pardon board had the open to let him stay in prison the rest of his life. But “you can see the fire in the eyes of the parole board.” Fisher went on to say “He should not be executed for this horrific crime he did not commit. He will not be a threat to anyone.”
Execution and Last Meal
On June 27th, 2024, Richard (66) was prepped and taken into the execution chamber and his last words were “I’ve said my goodbyes” The drugs started flowing at 10:03 am. Richard had a spiritual advisor who was a Buddhist monk. Reverend Master Daishin Yalon stood at Richard's feet during the execution. They exchanged words twice before Richard fell unconscious. He was pronounced dead at 10:16. Richard was the longest serving death row inmate in Oklahoma (40 years) and his last meal was two small double cheese, double pepperoni pizzas from little Caesars, and two cups of vanilla ice cream. He was the second man executed in the state of Oklahoma this year and also the 9th in the US. Richard was executed a day after a man was executed in Texas. Richard was the 13th inmate to be executed since the state reinstated capital punishment in October of 2021.
Mindy Cummings who watched from the witness room said “We are grateful today for justice served and the peace of knowing that Richard Rojem can never hurt us or any other person again,”
And with that Richard Rojem’s sentence... was served...
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