Ending Death Penalty Goal Of Bipartisan Ohio Coalition

COLUMBUS, OH — State Senator Nickie Antonio, flanked by former Governor Ted Strickland, clergy and a score of Republican and Democratic officials, introduced bipartisan legislation to end the death penalty in Ohio. She described the death penalty as "expensive, impractical, unjust, inhumane and frankly erroneous."

Abolishing the death penalty in Ohio has been a goal of Antonio's for nearly a decade. Starting in 2011, the Lakewood Democrat has annually introduced legislation to every General Assembly to end the punishment in the Buckeye State. Her proposals have never gained traction in a Republican-controlled state legislature.

However, on Wednesday, Antonio found herself supported by an unusual cast of allies. Republican state Senators Peggy Lehner, from Kettering, and Kristina Roegner, from Hudson, have both announced their intention to co-sponsor the next proposal to abolish the death penalty.

“This is not a Republican or a Democratic issue. No matter what a person’s reason is for supporting this legislation, we all agree that this is critical for our own collective humanity. It is our responsibility to work together across party lines and legislative chambers and move forward to end the death penalty in Ohio," Antonio said during a press conference.

The trio of state senators were joined by the Ohio Catholic Conference, Ohioans to Stop Executions, local clergy, attorneys and former Governor Strickland.

"There's a lot I could say about the death penalty," Strickland said. "It's unfairness, the disparity in which it is administered, the flaws within our criminal justice system which sometimes lead to mistakes...but this morning, I want to talk about my personal experiences."

Strickland said when he was governor he presided over executions and the memories continue to bother him. He recalled one of his trusted colleagues resigning, rather than oversee another execution. Strickland said the criminal justice system is imperfect, like all systems, and that means Ohio officials should not impose the "ultimate penalty upon one of our fellow human beings."

Additional, and surprising, support for Antonio's proposal could be found in the Ohio House. Last month, the Ohioans to Stop Executions group held a joint press conference with the Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty. The groups argued that, beyond the moral arguments, the death penalty is costly and fails to deter future crimes. Cases involving the death penalty cost 10 times more than non-capital cases, according to Kevin Werner, of the Ohio Justice & Policy Center.