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Spirko commuted, the band-aid approach to Ohio?s broken system continues

By National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

John Spirko was commuted by Governor Strickland in Ohio. DNA fails to link him to the crime for which he was scheduled to die in a few weeks. I should note I am sure David or Abe (an Ohio native) will have more. I also find that the lack of physical evidence linking Mr. Spirko to the above-mentioned murder, combined with the slim residual doubt about his responsibility for the murder arising from a careful scrutiny of the case record and revelations about the case over the last 20 years, makes the imposition of the death penalty in this case inappropriate. From Mr. Spirko?s counsel: John Spirko is an innocent man who has spent 25 very long and hard years in prison ? 23 on death row ? for a crime he did not commit. There can be no joy in the commutation of an innocent man?s sentence to life without parole...continue to full post

Full post as published by Abolish the Death Penalty on January 09, 2008 (boomark / email).