WARREN Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins said he applauds the efforts of those involved with introducing legislation to permit the use of nitrogen h
WARREN Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins said he applauds the efforts of those involved with introducing legislation to permit the use of nitrogen h
gvogrin@tribtoday.com
Staff photo / Guy Vogrin
Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins thumbs through the case file of convicted killer Kenneth Biros who was executed in December 2009.
Now that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has instructed lawmakers to choose a different method, local prosecutors are taking offense to the governor’s “unofficial moratorium” on capital punishment in the state.
DeWine last week said it’s “pretty clear” there won’t be any executions in 2021, and he doesn’t think there is enough support in the Legislature to prioritize a switch in the execution method.
Ohio has an “unofficial moratorium” on capital punishment, DeWine said. Yet some states and the federal government have managed to execute inmates successfully this year.
Now that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has instructed lawmakers to choose a different method, local prosecutors are taking offense to the governor’s “unofficial moratorium” on capital punishment in the state.
DeWine last week said it’s “pretty clear” there won’t be any executions in 2021, and he doesn’t think there is enough support in the Legislature to prioritize a switch in the execution method.
Ohio has an “unofficial moratorium” on capital punishment, DeWine said. Yet some states and the federal government have managed to successfully execute inmates this year.
According to figures provided by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, six executions were scheduled in Ohio for 2021. Right now there are eight people on death row from Trumbull County cases, and three from Mahoning County cases.