Gov. Mike DeWine calls for Ohio to abolish the death penalty

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday morning called on Ohio to abolish the death penalty, citing data that he said proves it is no longer a deterrent to violent crime.

“For the state to take a human life, there must, in my opinion, there must be evidence that in doing so it will help protect the public, that the threat of that action will deter someone from committing murder,” DeWine said. “I do not believe that argument today can be successfully made.”

DeWine cited data showing a decline in the last four decades of executions being carried out and an increase in the time inmates spend on death row.

“Even if the murderer is caught, indicted, convicted and sentenced to death, the odds are still pretty good they’re not going to be executed,” he said.

The last 10 people to be executed in Ohio, DeWine said, had been on death row between 14 and 32 years. He said since 1981, 56 individuals who received the death sentence were executed, 41 died by natural causes or by suicide while on death row. Another 89 death sentences were removed based on “judicial action” such as legal errors.

“I no longer believe the........

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