06/16/2026
Yes, we agree that the death penalty should be abolished.
Thank you Governor DeWine.
Time for the legislature to act.
Gov. DeWine said his earlier support for Ohio's death penalty in 1981 was based on his belief that it could deter serious crimes. However "But after decades of watching Ohio’s system operate, DeWine said he no longer believes it achieves that goal. He pointed to the long delays between sentencing and ex*****on, noting that many inmates die before their sentences are carried out."
It is now up to the legislature to repeal the death penalty
Senate Democratic Leader Nickie Antonio, a longtime advocate against the death penalty, said DeWine’s announcement should add urgency to the repeal effort.
"Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday that he opposes the death penalty and urged Ohio lawmakers to repeal it, marking a dramatic reversal for the man who helped create the state’s current capital punishment law."
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has spent years trying to abolish Ohio’s death penalty, arguing it is costly, ineffective and risks wrongful convictions. But those efforts have repeatedly stalled in the Republican-controlled legislature.
“Like Governor DeWine, my feelings about the death penalty have changed over the years in my career in corrections,” “It’s difficult to overstate just how much the ex*****on process impacts everyone involved, and I hope Ohio continues to move away from the death penalty.” Ohio Prison Director Gary Mohr, who oversaw
15 ex*****ons.
Of course:
"House Speaker Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican, has been more direct. He promised to “vigorously oppose” any effort to repeal Ohio’s death penalty."
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday that he opposes the death penalty, ending years of speculation about his views on capital punishment.
