Abolition bill for Ohio announced

Pictured above (from left to right): Kevin Werner, Representative Antonio,
Dale Johnston, Derrick Jamison, Melinda Dawson and Representative Celeste.

Columbus, OH --March 14, 2011

State Representatives Ted Celeste and Nickie Antonio announced legislation that would abolish the death penalty.

OTSE Executive Director, Kevin Werner said, "This is a day of enormous opportunity. Today begins a thoughtful discussion around how to build a fairer, more equitable, and more efficient justice system." Werner, who spoke at the press conference announcing the bill, also said, "Eliminating the death penalty would allow us to better serve victims' family members, will guarantee that we will never execute an innocent person, and will free up precious resources to better support law enforcement officials in their efforts to keep our communities safe."

Ohio death row exonerees Dale Johnston and Derrick Jamison were also on hand and spoke at the press conference. Johnston was sentenced to death for the 1982 murders of his daugher and her fiance. Dale spent 7 years in prison for crimes he did not commit. He was freed from prison in 1990. Decades after the crime, the man responsible for the murders confessed and is serving a life sentence.

Derrick Jamison walked out of the Hamilton County Justice Center exactly 20 years after he was sentenced to death in 1985. Investigators withheld evidence, including eyewitness statements, from Jamison and his attorneys. The evidence indicated someone else committed the crime for which Derrick was convicted. The murder has never been solved.


At the press conference Derrick said, "I am proud to have spoken around the country and overseas about the death penalty, but really I need for my home state of Ohio, which condemned me to death, to hear me."

Melinda Dawson, whose mother Judy Johnson, was murdered in 1998, also spoke to the media. Melinda's then-husband, Clarence Elkins, was convicted of the murder. The following eight years of her life, Melinda spent working to prove Clarence's innocence and find the real killer. Clarence was exonerated in 2005 as a result of Melinda's work and due to the support of the Ohio Innocence Project at the University of Cincinnati's Rosenthal Institute of Justice.

OTSE Board member Jim Tobin also spoke on behalf of the Ohio Catholic Confernece. The Ohio bishops renewed their call for abolition following a series of high profile individuals advocating for an end to the death penalty including Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfiefer and retired Ohio prisons director Terry Collins.

More information about this new legislation will be availabe on OTSE's new website on March 18th.

Illinois Repeals Death Penalty

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has signed the bill (SB3539) abolishing the death penalty in Illinois! Illinois joins the rank of 15 other states without capital punishment. SB3539 not only repeals the death penalty in Illinois, but it will use the money saved to support victims' families and assist law enforcement.

OTSE would like to thank everyone who supported our partners in Illinois by making phone calls to Governor Quinn in recent weeks. There is no doubt that our calls had a huge impact on the governor's decision to sign the bill into law.

Please take a moment to read a statement from Governor Quinn here.

Also, stay tuned as Ohio's death penalty abolition bill is introduced in the coming weeks in the Ohio House of Representatives. OTSE looks forward to keeping you informed as this develops.

Retired prisons director speaks about death penalty

Photo bt Wayne Allen Portsmouth Daily Times

The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Regina Brett wrote a story about Terry Collins on January 27, 2011. Mr. Collins is a retired director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. He was present for 33 executions in Ohio from 2001-2010.

Click here to read the full story by Regina Brett of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Former ODRC Director's OpEd Appears in Columbus Dispatch

Terry Collins, former Director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, urges all Ohioans to take note of Justice Pfeifer's recent call to end executions in the state. Over 32 years of experience working in law enforcement has shown Collins that "our justice system can be even more effective and fair without Death Rows and the death penalty."

Read Collins' opinion editorial "Justice system can be improved by removing ultimate penalty" here.

Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer Opposes Death Penalty

Republican Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer, who helped write Ohio's death penalty law three decades ago, now says the state should halt executions. “'The time has come for us to make that change,'' Pfeifer said.

According to an Associated Press article about his statement:

“Justice Paul Pfeifer also said Gov. John Kasich and any future governor should consider commuting the sentences of Ohio's death row inmates to life without parole.

‘These are important matters that need all of our thoughtful attention — need the attention of the legislature to consider seriously whether we're well-served by this statute any longer,’ he said in remarks following his swearing-in ceremony.”

To read more about Justice Pfeifer’s statement, please visit:

http://www.ohio.com/news/ohiocentric/114190104.html

Dale Johnston speaks about wrongful conviction

Dale Johnston was sent to Ohio's death row for murders he did not commit.

Executions scheduled: Contact the governor

Clarence Carter is scheduled to be executed on April 17, 2011.

Please contact Governor Kasich and urge him to grant clemency to Mr. Carter by phone at 614-644-4357. You can also submit your concerns electronically by following this link.

April 12, 2011; Clarence Carter

May 17, 2011; Daniel Bedford

June 14, 2011; Shawn Hawkins

Ohio has set execution dates for nine men through February 2012.

2010-2011 Internships

The internship program offers high school, undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to gain real world experience working in politics, human rights and grassroots organizing. Build your resume while working to end capital punishment in Ohio!

This program is flexible, giving interns the ability to choose which areas of OTSE’s work they are most interested in, while providing a solid background in all aspects of statewide efforts to end the death penalty. Focus areas include:

• Researching and drafting the 2010 annual report, a comprehensive view of Ohio’s system.
• Design and distribution of OTSE’s quarterly report to members and coalition partners.
• Providing outreach and educations to civic, religious and community groups.
• Tabling at community events and summer festivals.
• Lobbying representatives on capital punishment.
• Supporting OTSE’s statewide campaigns including those for moratorium resolutions and key constituent groups.

Positions are available in Northeast and Southwest Ohio (Cleveland and Cincinnati areas). Scheduling is flexible and part time. This is an unpaid internship for 10-15 hours a week.

Application instructions:
To submit an application for the program, send a cover letter and resume to Renee Berlon by e-mail to otse.org@gmail.com

For more information, call Kevin Werner at 614-560-0654

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. The program runs through 2011.