US Supreme Court: No to Ohio Execution
The US Supreme Court refused to overrule a US District Court's ruling in the case of Charles Lorraine, effectively initiated a de facto moratorium on executions in Ohio.
Click here to read the story reported by the Associated Press.
Recent events in Ohio, including Court rulings postponing executions, the state's inability to follow its own rules in the execution chamber, the exoneration of Joe D'Ambrosio and the formation of a Supreme Court task force to examine the fairness and accuracy of Ohio's death penalty show that Ohio needs a time-out from executions.
OTSE is calling on Governor Kasich to issue a moratorium on executions while the capital punishment system is being examined by the Supreme Court's task force.
We need your help to gather thousands of letters asking for a moratorium. Our goal is to reach 7,000 letters by February 7th. Click here to send your letter to the Governor.
Joe D'Ambrosio became the 140th death row exoneree and Ohio's 6th on January 23, 2012. Contact Governor Kasich today and urge him to stop executions.
Take action here.
Help make sure OTSE begins 2012 and the legislative work ahead on the right track. Make your donation today to support OTSE's work to abolish the death penalty. For more information, contact Kevin at 614-560-0654.
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Joe D'Ambrosio exonerated!
Attorneys for former death row prisoner Joe D’Ambrosio confirm that the case against their client is resolved and D’Ambrosio is the sixth man exonerated from Ohio’s death row. John Q. Lewis of Tucker Ellis & West LLP and David Mills of the Mills Law Office LLC said the United States Supreme Court denied the petition made by the Ohio Attorney General to review an August 2011 ruling by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. The highest court in the nation had the final say as to whether or not D’Ambrosio could be re-prosecuted.
Joe D’Ambrosio was wrongfully convicted of the 1989 murder of Anthony Klann in Cleveland. Cuyahoga County prosecutors withheld 10 pieces of evidence that would have exonerated D’Ambrosio at his trial and implicated another suspect in the crime.
"Today was 23 years in the making,” D’Ambrosio says. “I want to thank my attorneys John Q. Lewis and David Mills, my family and friends who stood by me to make this day possible. Justice has finally prevailed."
Send a strong message urging Governor Kasich to stop executions today by clicking here.
Click here to make a contribution in honor of the attorneys and advocates who fought for Joe's exoneration. Click this link to read OTSE's press release.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer has more coverage of this story.
Committee holds second hearing on abolition bill
 The House Criminal Justice Committee heard testimony in support of HB 160, the death penalty abolition bill on December 14, 2011.
Murder victims' families, exonerees, attorneys, retired law enforcement officials, faith leaders, academics, researchers and advocacy groups and current state Supreme Court Judge testified that Ohio does not need the death penalty.
(Pictured: Derrick Jamison and Kevin Werner after abolition bill hearing 12/14/2011)
Help make sure OTSE begins 2012 and the legislative work ahead on the right track. Make your donation today to support OTSE's work to abolish the death penalty. For more information, contact Kevin at 614-560-0654.
Troy Davis remembered
October 1 was the Day of Rememberance for Troy Davis. The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty's Diann Rust-Tierney reflected on the execution of Troy Davis in an essay published by the Huffington Post.
Click here to read the essay. You can also watch highlights from the funeral service.
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