[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----TEXAS, PENN., DEL., OHIO

[Rick Halperin]

Nov. 22


TEXAS----impending execution

Sister of Mentally Ill Texas Man Sentenced to Die in December Pleads to Rick 
Perry to Spare His Life

The sister of Scott Panetti, a paranoid schizophrenic set to be executed by the 
state of Texas on Dec. 3 for the murder of 2 people, has pleaded with Gov. Rick 
Perry to commute his sentence to life in prison. Victoria Panetti has said that 
her brother, who believes he's being executed for preaching the Gospel, does 
not understand fact from fiction, and started an online petition asking Perry 
to spare his life.

"Having a brother on death row is like having a terminally ill family member. 
But there's 1 big difference: we can't stop a terminal illness, but we can stop 
Texas from killing a mentally ill man," Victoria Panetti wrote in a letter 
alongside the Change.org petition.

"I know it's hard to see beyond the fact that Scott took 2 lives, but he 
suffers from a severe illness that changed the way his mind works. He doesn't 
understand fact from fiction. He's still my big brother, the strong and 
handsome sailor who served in the Navy."

On Wednesday, Texas Judge Keith Williams refused to postpone Panetti's 
execution, which means the mentally ill convicted killer is set to be put to 
death by lethal injection on Dec. 3.

The 56-year-old man was found guilty of murdering his parents-in-law in 1992. 
His death sentence was initially scheduled to be carried out in 2004, but a 
federal judge stayed the order at the time.

Panetti has suffered from schizophrenia and various other mental disorders for 
over 30 years, and had been hospitalized 12 times due to psychotic behavior 
before he committed the murders. He has indicated that he believes that he's in 
a battle with Satan, and has attempted to subpoena the Pope, John F. Kennedy, 
and Jesus Christ while representing himself in trial.

Both mental health professionals and over 50 Evangelical leaders have opposed 
his execution, arguing that he does not understand why he's being put to death.

"If his execution date is not withdrawn, he will go to the execution chamber 
convinced that he's being put to death for preaching the Gospels, not for the 
murder of his wife's parents, and the retributive goal of capital punishment 
will not be served," the Texas Defender Service group warned.

Evangelical leaders who also wrote to Perry stated: "As Christians, we are 
called to protect the most vulnerable, and we count Mr. Panetti - a man who has 
suffered from severe mental illness for over 30 years - to be among them. If 
ever there was a clear case of an individual suffering from mental illness, 
this is it."

The case has attracted attention overseas as well, with the European Union 
asking Texas to grant Panetti clemency.

"The execution of persons suffering from a mental disorder is contrary to 
widely accepted human rights norms and is in contradiction to the minimum 
standards of human rights set forth in several international human rights 
instruments," the EU wrote in a separate letter.

In her online petition, Victoria Panetti argued that her brother is not a 
"cold-blooded killer," but a "very sick person."

"The U.S. Supreme Court has held that the Constitution forbids the execution of 
severely mentally ill individuals who do not understand the reason for their 
punishment. Scott is not mentally competent: he would go to the execution 
chamber believing his fixed delusion that he's being put to death for preaching 
the Gospels, not for the murder of his wife's parents," she continued.

"It's not right for our country to use capital punishment on a severely 
mentally ill person like my brother Scott."

The petition has so far been signed by over 26,000 people.

(source: Christian Post)

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Trial set for Gilmer man accused of killing his child's mother at football game


A trial date has been set in the case of a man charged with capital murder in a 
September 2013 shooting death that occurred at a Gilmer sub-varsity football 
game.

District Judge Lauren Parish on Friday set a Feb. 3 trial date for Jonathan Ray 
Shepherd, who was arrested in connection with the Sept. 26 shooting death of 
29-year-old Cheyenne Green. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Feb. 2, 
Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd said.

The decision came during a hearing Friday in which Shepherd, 33, was seeking to 
have his $1 million bond reduced and in which he was requesting a change of 
venue for his trial.

Parish denied both requests.

According to a probable cause affidavit for Shepherd's arrest, he met Green in 
the parking lot of Buckeye Stadium during halftime of a football game to give 
their then 2-year-old child to her. A witness told police the couple was 
arguing about custody of the child.

Sometime after the argument, Shepherd called his wife, Suzanne Bates, and told 
her he had done "something bad and he couldn't take it anymore and that she was 
dead," according to the affidavit.

Shepherd then told Bates to go to the parking lot, where she would find the 
victim's car running and his son in the backseat, according to the affidavit. 
Bates went to the parking lot, where she found the boy in the car and saw Green 
lying in blood.

An autopsy showed Green was shot 3 times.

Shepherd was initially charged with murder but Byrd enhanced the charge in 
October 2013 to capital murder by terror threat or other felony after evidence 
showed he was attempting to kidnap Green when she was murdered, Byrd said.

"In the course of the investigation, we have learned he was trying to kidnap 
Cheyenne Green," Byrd said last year. "It's a big jump from regular murder. It 
changes sentencing options dramatically."

Shepherd faces up to life in prison or the death penalty on the capital murder 
charge.

Shepherd remains in the Upshur County Jail.

(source: Longview News-Journal)

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Woman, husband indicted on capital murder in boy's death


The mother and stepfather of a 6-year-old boy who died in August were indicted 
this week in connection with his death.

Nancy Rae Martinez, 27, and Albert Villarreal, also 27, were indicted Thursday 
on 1 count each of capital murder and 1st-degree murder, according to online 
court records.

The couple were arrested after medics saw bruising on Xadrian Martinez's body 
after he was taken to Driscoll Children's Hospital on Aug. 27 for a reported 
seizure.

Xadrian Martinez had a head injury and bruising on his back, buttocks and 
chest, according to an affidavit.

Villarreal and Martinez told police the night of Xadrian Martinez's death he 
threw a fit and had a seizure, causing him to fall and hit his head on the 
kitchen floor, according to another affidavit. But the boy's 8-year-old sister 
told authorities at the hospital that Villarreal hit her brother and choked him 
after he soiled his clothing, according to the affidavit.

Medics also saw cuts to his genitalia that appeared to be either bite marks or 
cuts caused by "pinching with finger nails," according to the affidavit.

Nancy Martinez's mother, Cindy Martinez, told police the night of Xadrian's 
death that his mother admitted to "hitting Xadrian all over his body," the 
affidavit states.

The boy's 2 siblings, an 8-year-old girl and 3-year-old boy, were placed with 
Child Protective Services. A judge in September ruled they would remain in 
state custody pending the outcome of a home study of an aunt and uncle, 
according to court documents.

Capital murder carries only 2 punishment options - life in prison or the death 
penalty.

Martinez and Villarreal remained Friday in Nueces County Jail in lieu of $1 
million bail. Martinez also faces a motion to revoke her probation in an 
unrelated felony case, court records show.

(source: Corpus Christi Caller-Times)

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Activists seek clemency for terminally ill Texas death row inmate


Activists delivered a petition to Texas Governor Rick Perry on Friday with more 
than 100,000 signatures seeking the release of a death row inmate they say is 
terminally ill and only has weeks to live.

The governor's office was not immediately available to comment on the petition 
launched by religious groups and activists including the American Civil 
Liberties Union on behalf of Max Soffar, convicted in the July 1980 slaying of 
3 people at a Houston bowling alley.

"This is the time for mercy - let's not let him fall through the cracks of 
justice; let's not let him die behind bars," the petition said. It is seeking 
clemency so that he can die at home.

Soffar's case has been the focus of anti-death penalty campaigners for years. 
They have said he is an innocent man largely convicted on the basis of a 
confession signed after days of "oppressive interrogation" and without clear 
objective evidence pointing to his guilt.

The state has maintained the confession was voluntary, lawful and implicates 
him as the murderer.

Soffar, 58, has been on death row for more than 30 years. He was diagnosed with 
terminal liver cancer in July 2014 and was told at that time that he only has 
months to live, according to court papers filed on his behalf.

The 3 people killed at the bowling alley were Arden Fisher, 17, her boyfriend 
Tommy Temple, 17, and Stephen Sims, 25. All 3 were shot execution-style with a 
handgun, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice said.

(source: Reuters)






PENNSYLVANIA----new execution dates

Governor Corbett Signs Execution Warrants


Governor Tom Corbett today signed execution warrants for 3 men: 1 convicted of 
murder for the shooting death of a Philadelphia County police officer; 1 
convicted for murdering a Fayette County couple and their daughter; and, 1 
convicted for killing his girlfriend in Lawrence County.

Christopher Roney was convicted in Philadelphia County Court of 1st-degree 
murder for the shooting death of Philadelphia Police Officer Lauretha Vaird on 
January 2, 1996.

Mark Duane Edwards was convicted in Fayette County Court of 3 counts of 
1st-degree murder for the shooting deaths of Larry Bobish Sr., his wife Joanna 
Bobish, and their 17-year-old pregnant daughter Krystal Bobish on April 14, 
2002.

Dennis C. Reed was convicted in Lawrence County Court of 1st-degree murder for 
the shooting death of Wendy Miller, his girlfriend and mother of his son, on 
December 16, 2001.

All 3 men are incarcerated at the State Correctional Institution at Greene. 
Roney's execution has been scheduled for January 8, 2015; Edwards' execution 
has been scheduled for January 13, 2015; Reed's execution has been scheduled 
for January 15, 2015.

The execution warrants signed today for Roney, Edwards and Reed were Governor 
Corbett's 41st, 42nd, and 43rd warrants signed, respectively, since taking 
office.

Executions in Pennsylvania are carried out by lethal injection. For more 
information, visit the Department of Corrections online at www.cor.state.pa.us 
and select "Death Penalty" from the left-side navigation bar.

Case Backgrounds:

Roney, now 44, was found guilty of 1st-degree murder, among other charges, by a 
jury on October 30, 1996, and the jury returned a death verdict on November 1, 
1996 in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas.

On January 2, 1996, at approximately 8:20 a.m., Roney along with 2 others, 
Ernest Canty and Warren McGlone, attempted to rob a PNC Bank at 4710 Rising Sun 
Avenue in Philadelphia. As the assistant manager arrived for work, Canty 
grabbed her and the bank manager and forced them into the bank at gunpoint. 
Moments later, Roney grabbed the head teller of the bank as she arrived.

Police were notified of the robbery attempt by a nearby business and Officer 
Lauretha Vaird, a 9-year veteran with the police department, was the 1st 
officer to arrive on scene. As she entered the bank in uniform, Roney fired a 
fatal shot into her abdomen. As additional officers arrived, the men fled the 
scene.

Based upon eyewitness statements and identifications, Roney was arrested and 
charged with the murder of Officer Vaird. His accomplices were arrested and 
subsequently confessed to their participation in the robbery.

Edwards, now 32, was found guilty of 3 counts of 1st-degree murder by a jury on 
May 7, 2004, and the jury returned a death verdict on May 17, 2004 in the 
Fayette County Court of Common Pleas.

On April 12, 2002, Edwards robbed Larry Bobish Sr. during a drug sale at 
Bobish's residence. 2 days later, Edwards returned to the Bobish residence. Mr. 
Bobish let him inside and at some point while the men talked, Edwards pulled 
out a black automatic handgun and shot Mr. Bobish in the chest. Edwards then 
ran into the living room and shot Mr. Bobish's son, Larry Bobish Jr., in the 
neck.

Edwards then went into the bedroom and shot Mr. Bobish's wife Joanna once in 
the neck, killing her. The shots woke up their 17-year-old pregnant daughter 
Krystal, who confronted Edwards and asked him to stop shooting. Edwards then 
shot Krystal twice and she fell to the floor, where he proceeded to kick her in 
the stomach. Larry Jr. attempted to stop Edwards, but Edwards slapped him and 
cut him on the neck. Edwards then went upstairs and set fire to the bedroom and 
fled the scene. Larry Jr. was able to crawl outside to the driveway and call 
for help.

On April 18, 2002, Larry Bobish Jr. identified Edwards as the man who shot him 
and killed his family. Later that day, Edwards confessed to the shootings, 
although at trial 2 years later, he testified on his own behalf that he had no 
involvement in the shootings. Autopsies revealed that all 3 victims died before 
the fire began and Krystal Bobish's unborn male fetus died due to lack of 
oxygen resulting from his mother's death.

Reed, now 43, was found guilty of 1st-degree murder by a jury on January 31, 
2008, and the jury returned a death verdict on February 1, 2008 in the Lawrence 
County Court of Common Pleas.

In 2001, Reed moved into a New Castle apartment with his girlfriend, Wendy 
Miller, their 12-year-old son, and her 3 other children. After Ms. Miller 
applied for a Protection From Abuse Order against Reed, he showed up at the 
residence in the early morning of December 16, 2001. When he was let in by 1 of 
the children, Reed went upstairs to Ms. Miller's bedroom and forcibly removed 
her from the house, returning 10 minutes later to gather her 3 children (their 
son was with another family member).

They drove to a local housing project in Ms. Miller's SUV, where Ms. Miller and 
Reed exited the vehicle, leaving her 3 children inside. Reed returned alone 20 
minutes later; when asked by Ms. Miller's eldest child where her mother was, 
Reed replied that their aunt had taken their mother to work.

Ms. Miller's family notified New Castle police that she and her children were 
missing. A search commenced, and Butler City police found Reed outside Ms. 
Miller's SUV on December 22, where they arrested him. The children were located 
inside the vehicle and sent with family members. Police seized a loaded 
shotgun, along with Reed's clothing which had stains that were later tested and 
found to have genetic markers consistent with Ms. Miller's blood.

Family members continued the search for Wendy Miller and ultimately found her 
body on December 23, 2001, in a desolate and secluded area of the woods. Ms. 
Miller had been shot at close range in the head with a shotgun.

(source: yourerie.com)





**************************

Execution warrant signed for Phila. man


Gov. Corbett on Friday signed an execution warrant for the man convicted of 
killing Philadelphia Police Officer Lauretha Vaird in a 1996 bank robbery.

Christopher Roney's execution date was set for Jan. 8 - almost exactly 19 years 
to the day since Vaird was shot while responding to a robbery at a PNC Bank in 
Feltonville.

The death warrant is Corbett's 41st signed since he assumed office. The 
governor also signed warrants for two other men, according to a statement from 
his office.

Roney, 44, was convicted of 1st-degree murder and robbery in the early morning 
holdup of the PNC Bank at 4710 Rising Sun Ave. on Jan. 2, 1996. Vaird, a 9-year 
veteran of the force and a single mother of 2 sons, was the 1st officer on the 
scene. The 43-year-old officer was fatally shot once in the abdomen as she 
walked into the bank.

Eyewitness statements and identifications led to Roney's arrest and subsequent 
charges, according to a statement from the governor's office. 2 other men were 
convicted of 2nd-degree murder in the case.

Roney - a Philadelphia man who before his arrest was a fairly well-known local 
rapper known as "Cool C" - has maintained he's innocent.

At his trial, he and his mother testified that he had been at home cooking 
breakfast at the time of the robbery. And he has appealed his conviction and 
his sentence. The state Supreme Court upheld his conviction in 2005 and former 
Gov. Ed Rendell signed an execution warrant the following year.

Vaird's death shocked the city and the 25th District, where she was a 
well-liked officer. She was the first female officer in Philadelphia to be 
killed in the line of duty.

Her oldest son, Michael Caesar, has said in interviews that her death has 
devastated his family.

"Hurry up and lay him on the table," he said at a 2009 post-conviction hearing 
for Roney, who is being held at Southwestern Pennsylvania's State Correctional 
Institution at Greene.

(source: Philadelphia Inquirer)






DELAWARFE:

Men found guilty of Eden Park slayings

The 2 men accused of being the Eden Park shooters were convicted Friday night 
of 1st-degree murder and manslaughter, among other charges.

After 3 days of deliberation, a New Castle County jury found Otis Phillips 
guilty of 13 charges including 1st-degree murder, 2nd-degree murder and 
manslaughter, and Jeffrey Phillips guilty of 11 charges including 1st-degree 
murder and manslaughter.

Because the panel of 12 found each defendant guilty of 1st-degree murder, Otis 
Phillips, 38, and Jeffrey Phillips, 23, now face a potential death sentence.

A penalty hearing, where the defense attorneys will present mitigating factors 
arguing against death and prosecutors will present aggravating factors in favor 
of death, will start on December 1.

Family members of the Eden Park victims Herman Curry, 47, and Alexander Kamara 
Jr. 16, were in the courtroom Friday evening and became emotional after the 
multiple guilty verdicts were handed down. On the way out of the courtroom 
family members said they were too overwhelmed to speak.

Prosecutors John Downs and Ipek Medford along with Jeffrey Phillips' attorneys 
Kevin O'Connell and Raymond Armstrong declined comment outside court citing the 
pending penalty phase of the trial.

Otis Phillips' attorney Anthony Figliola said both he and co-counsel Michael 
Heyden appreciated the jury's careful and thoughtful consideration of the case. 
"They didn't rush," he said, adding they will now move forward to the penalty 
phase and trust the jury will be just as thoughtful for that part of the trial.

Prosecutors charged that Otis Phillips and Jeffrey Phillips, who are not 
related, were members of the Sure Shots street gang and went to a Jamaican 
soccer tournament in Eden Park on July 8, 2012 seeking revenge against members 
of the Jamaican community because a Jamaican man shot and killed a friend of 
their at a party hours earlier.

Prosecutors said Otis Phillips also specifically targeted Herman Curry, who had 
organized the soccer tournament, because in 2008 Curry had seen Otis Phillips 
shoot and kill Christopher Palmer.

Eyewitnesses testified at trial that Otis Phillips and Jeffrey Phillips walked 
into the park together that day, around 2:30 p.m., dressed in black and with 
grim looks on their faces. Otis walked directly to Herman Curry and tapped 
Curry on his shoulder with his right hand and as Curry turned, Otis raised a 
gun with his left and began firing. One witness said he heard Otis tell Curry, 
"today you dead."

Curry then tried to run but witnesses said Otis Phillips chased after him and 
continued to fire.

As this was happening, witnesses testified Jeffrey Phillips pulled out a gun, 
turned toward the crowd and began shooting. At that moment witnesses said they 
saw Alexander Kamara Jr., who was waiting for his turn to play in the 
tournament, drop to the ground and never move again.

Curry was hit 3 times in the chest by bullets, Kamara was hit once in the head.

The jury found both men guilty of the intentional murder of Curry, holding 
Jeffrey Phillips as responsible as Otis Phillips under the theory of accomplice 
liability.

But the jury apparently also believed the defense argument that the killing of 
Kamara was a reckless act by Jeffrey Phillips and not an intentional one. The 
panel found both defendants guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter for 
Kamara.

Both men were also convicted of gang participation.

As for the 2008 murder of Christopher Palmer, Jeffrey Phillips was not charged 
in that slaying and Otis Phillips was found guilty of the lesser charge of 
second-degree murder.

Witnesses testified that Otis Phillips and several Sure Shots attempted to push 
their way into Herman Curry's birthday party in January 2008 and when the 
bouncer, Christopher Palmer, refused to let them in because they were carrying 
guns a fight ensued. It ended when Otis shot and killed Palmer, according to 
testimony.

Manslaughter carries a potential penalty of 2 to 25 years in prison and 
2nd-degree murder carries a potential penalty of 15 years to life.

And while prosecutors had argued that Jeffrey Phillips was guilty of riot and 
3rd degree assault as part of a melee at a Bridgeville convenience store in 
Feb. 2012 involving the Sure Shots, the jury instead convicted Jeffrey Phillips 
of the lesser charges of disorderly conduct and offensive touching.

The jury reached its unanimous conclusion after 3, apparently contentious, days 
of deliberation.

At one point it appeared that the panel was going to be deadlocked when 1 juror 
sent out a note saying that she no longer wanted to be a part of the jury and 
she did not think the process was furthering the interests of justice. The jury 
forewoman then sent out a note saying that the lone juror was preventing the 
panel from having productive discussions.

But after instructions from the judge, the panel apparently worked out their 
differences.

Jurors will now have a week off and return on Dec. 1 to decide if Otis Phillips 
and Jeffrey Phillips should face the death penalty or be sent to prison for the 
rest of their lives.

The penalty phase could take up to 3 weeks and there are pending motions to 
have separate hearing for each defendant.

Typically the jury hears from both from family members of the victim and family 
members of the convicted along with experts at a penalty hearing.

After the conclusion of the penalty hearing, the jury will take a vote on a 
recommendation, which does not have to be unanimous.

Superior Court Judge Calvin Scott then will decide if a death sentence or life 
in prison is the appropriate punishment. Scott, however, will have to give 
significant consideration to the jury recommendation.

(source: The News Journal)






OHIO:

Howard and Black indicted for murder


2 men facing charges in the disappearance and murder of a University of 
Cincinnati adjunct professor were indicted by a Fleming County grand jury 
Friday.

Charles Black, 55, of Hillsboro, and Kevin Howard, 38, of Owingsville, were 
indicted on charges of murder, theft by unlawful taking, tampering with 
physical evidence, 1st-degree robbery and kidnapping.

Additionally, Howard was charged with being a persistent felony offender.

Both men will appear in Circuit Court on Dec. 5, at 1 p.m., for arraignment.

Commonwealth's Attorney Kelly Clarke said the minimum sentence for the charge 
of murder is 20 years and the maximum is the death penalty.

"The death penalty or life in prison are 2 major sentences that can be reached 
with a charge this severe," he said.

Clarke said he has not yet determined if he will seek the death penalty.

The charges came about after Black was arrested on Oct. 1 in connection with 
the disappearance of Randall Russ.

Black was arrested after officials said he led officers with the Kentucky State 
Police to a body buried in a shallow grave in the Hillsboro area of Fleming 
County. The body is believed to belong to Russ, but has not yet been positively 
identified, according to KSP Trooper Wes Prather.

Prather said Black was questioned after evidence emerged of him using Russ's 
credit card to withdraw $700 from an ATM. Black then told police Howard had 
killed Russ in his home while he was next door. Black said when he returned, 
Russ was bound and gagged and was dead.

Black said he and Howard took Russ's body to the area of Ringo Grange City 
Road, where they buried him in a shallow grave before cleaning Russ's vehicle 
and taking it to Fort Boonesborough in Richmond, according to Prather.

Howard was arrested in Lexington by the Lexington Police Department on Oct. 9.

During Howard's pretrial hearing, Prather told the court there was reason to 
doubt Black's story, as Black had allegedly confessed to a cellmate that he was 
the one who killed Russ.

A missing Bath County woman may also have ties to Howard, according to 
officials.

Norma Jo Brown, 33, of Salt Lick, was reported missing on Oct. 2 by her mother, 
who said she last saw Brown sometime in September, according to KSP Master 
Trooper Veeneman.

Veeneman said the family believes Brown may have last been seen with Howard.

According to Veeneman, Brown has not yet been located. She is 5 feet tall, with 
blonde hair and brown eyes. She also wears glasses.

Black is currently being held in the Mason County Detention Center, while 
Howard is being held in the Montgomery County Detention Center. Both are being 
held on a $1 million bond.

(source: maysville-online.com)

***********************

Contentious Debate Erupts Over Lethal Injections


A bill to help the state secure a proper supply of drugs for lethal injections 
turned into a debate over secrecy in the process. Statehouse correspondent Andy 
Chow reports.

The Ohio House passed a bill that conceals the identity of companies and 
pharmacies that provide drugs used for state executions. Supporters - such as 
Republican Representative Jim Buchy of Greenville - say this measure is needed 
in order to obtain the drug that's proven successful during executions in the 
past.

Buchy: "This is a narrowly defined piece of legislation to provide 
confidentiality so that they can conduct that job that they're entrusted to do 
by law and by decision of courts in capital cases where the guilty has been 
sentenced to death."

Ohio has not carried out the death penalty since January - when the problematic 
execution of Dennis McGuire made headlines around the world. Reports said the 
convicted murderer and rapist appeared to struggle and gasp for air during the 
process, though the prisons department said its investigation showed he was 
executed humanely.

McGuire's execution was the 1st time the state used a certain drug combination. 
The drug the state previously used is no longer available from the manufacturer 
- but pharmacies can recreate it.

Dan Tierney is spokesperson for Attorney General Mike DeWine. He says extending 
confidentiality will encourage pharmacies that can make the drug to boost the 
state's supply without fearing protest or some type of retribution.

Tierney: "The drugs being used in executions are not being provided to the 
department. And so one possible source could be compound pharmacies, but 
allowing the compound pharmacies and the pharmacist that compound the drugs to 
remain anonymous."

Concerns about the bill on the House floor broke into 2 basic positions - those 
against the death penalty and those who support open records.

Curtin: "None of us should like secrecy in an open society. It should be as 
rare as we can make it."

That's Democratic Representative Mike Curtin of Columbus. The former journalist 
expressed his reservations on a bill that extends confidentiality.

Curtin: "This state used to be a model state for openness - open records - open 
meetings - about 15 years ago we started rolling that back. And if you look at 
the record we've been taking lots of things off of public record - out of the 
public domain and putting them behind closed doors and that should be a concern 
- not just to old newspaper people but I think to everybody."

While Curtin did have his hang-ups on the bill - he still voted in favor of the 
measure. He cited the efforts to fix parts of the legislation and also noted 
DeWine's thoughts on the issue.

Democratic Representative Dan Ramos of Lorain has been a staunch opponent of 
the death penalty. He says this recent road block is a good excuse for the 
state to avoid executions - a practice he says - has been used through 
generations.

Ramos: "What many of them did. What many states did what many nations have done 
- have basically made it so 'well it's still on the books, it's still there but 
for one reason or another we make it too complicated to use, well we can't fit 
it in with the rest of our constitution we keep it on the books so nobody has 
to vote against...but we don't have to use it anymore.' This has happened for 
2,000 years."

Some members were also upset over the pace at which the bill moved through 
committee. The measure was introduced just 10 days ago. However it passed 
mostly along party lines.

The bill now heads to the Senate where it must be approved before the end of 
the year in order to go to the governor's desk for his signature.

(source: ideastream.org)

*****************

OTSE Establishes Fund to Support New Exonerees


In the wake of the exoneration and release of several men wrongly convicted for 
a murder they had nothing to do with, Ohioans to Stop Executions and the Ohio 
Innocence Project have established on-line fund raising campaigns to help the 
men begin a new life of freedom.

"These men spent nearly 4 decades in prison," said Kevin Werner, executive 
director of the statewide anti-death penalty organization. "Right now they have 
nothing."

The Ohio Innocence Project established a "GoFundMe" campaign for Ricky Jackson 
on Thursday when it became clear that he was about to be released. On Friday 
after Wiley Bridgeman was in process to also be released, attorney Terry 
Gilbert, who represents Bridgeman, asked Ohioans to Stop Executions to 
establish a similar fund.

"We're heading into the holiday season," said Werner. "These men were wrongly 
sent to death row and spent decades in prison when they were completely 
innocent. We invite anyone who would like to help them get back on their feet 
to join us in this effort."

Donors who don't like to use credit cards on the internet may send a check to 
Ohioans to Stop Executions, clearly labeled "OTSE Exoneration Fund" in the memo 
line.???All funds collected will go directly to Jackson, Bridgeman, and their 
co-defendant, Kwame Ajamu, formerly known as Ronnie Bridgeman.

Links to the on-line fund campaigns are http://www.gofundme.com/wiley and 
http://www.gofundme.com/rickyjackson.???Checks made to "OTSE" with "Exoneration 
Fund" in the memo line may be sent to Ohioans to Stop Executions, 9 E. Long 
St., Suite 202., Columbus, Ohio 43215.

(source: OTSE)