Ohio Governor Advocates for Abolition of Death Penalty, Citing Moral and Practical Concerns

Republican governor Mike DeWine, who co-authored the bill to reinstate Ohio’s death penalty over 45 years ago, now calls for eliminating capital punishment. He argues it fails to enhance public safety and no longer aligns with moral standards.

“I no longer see the death penalty as a deterrent to murder,” DeWine stated on Tuesday. “The moral rationale I once used to support it has vanished.”

This shift marks a significant change for the 79-year-old governor. Following Ohio’s death penalty law being overturned in 1978, DeWine, then a state senator, played a key role in creating the 1981 legislation that endured legal challenges and remains active. However, DeWine has moderated his position recently, frequently delaying executions during his nearly eight-year governorship.

His advocacy for abolition aligns with his broadly moderate stance on capital punishment, positioning him against national Republican figures like Donald Trump, who aims to expand the death penalty in his second term.

DeWine highlighted that in Ohio’s last 10 executions, the average delay between sentencing and execution was 21 years.

Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, cautioned: “Many assume reducing the time between sentence and execution is the solution, but we repeatedly make mistakes.”

“Thorough case reviews expose errors, which require time and resources,” Maher explained.

DeWine encouraged state lawmakers to act on abolishing the death penalty, noting voters could decide via constitutional amendments if legislators resist. Ohio permits citizen-initiated ballot measures to amend its constitution.

Bipartisan repeal bills exist in both legislative chambers, though Republican leaders have blocked votes on them.

A DeWine spokesperson avoided commenting on whether the governor would commute death sentences for the 114 inmates on Ohio’s death row, given his term is ending in January.

Advocates noted DeWine’s call for abolition wasn’t unexpected: He has maintained an informal execution moratorium and previously signaled intent to discuss the issue more fully.

“He grasps the process better than any Ohio governor in history,” said Kevin Werner of Ohioans to Stop Executions. “His experience from all angles has made him deliberate and measured.”

DeWine’s background includes roles as a prosecutor in southwest Ohio, a state senator, U.S. congressman, U.S. senator, Ohio lieutenant governor, attorney general, and governor.

Werner added that conservative lawmakers increasingly oppose the death penalty: “Every year with a repeal bill, more conservatives agree the system fails.”

DeWine also emphasized stories from victims’ families, who felt re-traumatized by the lengthy death penalty process, and corrections staff burdened by flawed executions, such as the 2014 lethal injection of Dennis McGuire involving untested drugs.

Ohio’s last execution occurred in 2018, the year DeWine was elected governor.

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