Roll of Honor
Incident
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.
Survivors
Chief Norman had been in law enforcement for nine months and is survived by his wife, son, and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-B40A7F38- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Chief Norman served with the Antlers Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Antlers community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
James Clifford Norman served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Chief James Clifford Norman is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 15 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Clifford Norman's cause is highlighted.
How James Clifford Norman Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Clifford Norman is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Clifford Norman was killed by rifle; .30-.06.