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Ohio Revises Execution Protocol

By Steve Hall

Today's Columbus Dispatch contains Alan Johnson's report, "New rule will let warden halt condemned's last words." The last words of condemned killers in Ohio could be shortened, edited or stopped under a new prison rule that has critics voicing First Amendment complaints. The change was prompted by the May 13, 2010, execution of Michael Beuke. He held death at bay for 17 minutes by reciting the rosary prayers of the Roman Catholic Church while strapped to the lethal-injection table at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility near Lucasville. Since resuming executions in February 1999, the state has imposed no limits or restrictions on last statements by the 41 men it has executed. The old policy said: "There will be no restriction on the content of the condemned prisoner's statement and no unreasonable restriction on the duration of the prisoner's last statement...continue to full post

Full post as published by StandDown Texas Project on November 19, 2010 (boomark / email).