Ohio governor pushed to end death penalty after 7-year execution halt
Why it matters: A repeal would reverse a law Mike DeWine helped write and deepen Ohio's long-running de facto moratorium.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine urged lawmakers Tuesday to abolish the state's death penalty, arguing it no longer deters violent crime and rarely leads to an execution after years of appeals. DeWine, a Republican in his final year in office, said his view changed after decades in public office and seven years of postponing scheduled executions. He pointed to falling death sentences, long waits on death row and the toll on victims' families and prison staff. The repeal path appears difficult: House Speaker Matt Huffman said earlier this year he would strongly oppose ending capital punishment. Ohio has effectively paused executions as officials struggle to obtain drugs used in lethal injections.