Death Penalty

Dozens of Inmates Avoid Ohio Death Sentence

Associated Press — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:35:00 +0000

An annual report that looks at Ohio's capital punishment system says 128 inmates sentenced to death over the past three decades have avoided their sentence through court action, commutations or dying of natural causes.

The report by Attorney General Mike DeWine says the state sentenced a total of 316 inmates to death from 1981, when Ohio's current death penalty law was enacted, through 2012.

Eighteen inmates have been spared by Ohio governors, 24 died in prison and eight were found ineligible for execution because they are mentally disabled.

Number of Death Row Inmates Declines in Ohio

Associated Press and Dayton Daily News — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:04:00 +0000

The number of prisoners on Ohio's death row is decreasing as new death sentences are outnumbered by inmates who are executed or die from other causes or are freed through clemency or appeals.

Ohio Death Penalty Committee Looks at Racial Bias

Associated Press — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 12:00:00 +0000

An Ohio Supreme Court committee studying the state's capital punishment law plans to vote on recommendations today requiring the collection of data to detect racial bias in death penalty cases.

The data would include a review of past cases as well as collecting information in the future on all homicides that might be eligible for capital punishment. Other recommendations would require prosecutors, lawyers and judges involved in death penalty cases to be trained to protect against racial bias.

Ohio Death Penalty Review Committee Meets Again

Associated Press — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 14:17:51 +0000

A state Supreme Court task force analyzing the effectiveness of Ohio's capital punishment law plans another
meeting today as part of its year-long review.

Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor convened the task force while making it clear it won't debate whether the state should have the death penalty.

The panel has discussed whether Ohio should consider a statewide approach to charging murder defendants with death penalty charges to avoid disparities that arise from county to county.

Ohio Taking Death Penalty Case to US Supreme Court

Associated Press — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:30:12 +0000

Ohio officials say the state is asking the U.S. Supreme Court for a ruling that Ohio's protocol for carrying out lethal injections is constitutional.

Gov. John Kasich and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said in a statement yesterday that the state will ask the high court to reverse a federal appeals court decision delaying the Wednesday execution of Charles Lorraine.