Ohio executed its last prisoner in 2018, ending capital punishment era
Ohio executed its final prisoner in 2018, ending the state's active capital punishment era.
Event / Politics
Ohio Death Penalty Abolition
Governor Mike DeWine calls for abolition of capital punishment in Ohio, reversing his previous support for the state's death penalty law. The proposal has divided Ohio's Republican-controlled legislature.
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 17 Jun, 01:33 UTC
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What happened
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine calls for abolition of death penalty
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called on the Ohio legislature to abolish the death penalty or allow Ohioans to vote on the matter. DeWine, a 79-year-old Republican with 50 years of experience in law and politics, stated he no longer believes the death penalty serves as a deterrent to murder and that the moral justification for capital punishment no longer exists. He cited the rarity of executions being carried out despite convictions and sentencing, and noted the psychological toll on execution staff.
Ohio's last execution carried out in 2018
Ohio last conducted an execution in 2018. Since Governor DeWine took office in 2019, problems obtaining lethal injection drugs have led to an unofficial moratorium on executions in the state, with multiple scheduled executions postponed.
Republican House Speaker opposes death penalty abolition
Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, a Republican, said he would 'vigorously oppose' any legislation seeking to abolish the death penalty and speculated that 'probably a lot' of his fellow Republicans in the House would vote similarly.
Republican officials support DeWine's death penalty abolition call
Several Republican officials endorsed Governor DeWine's call to abolish the death penalty, including former congresswoman Jean Schmidt, former Ohio Auditor and Attorney General Jim Petro, and former Ohio Governor Bob Taft. Schmidt cited risks of executing innocent persons, exorbitant costs, and belief in the sanctity of life. Petro cited wrongful convictions as a flaw in the death penalty system.
DeWine co-sponsored death penalty reinstatement bill in 1980
In 1980, after being elected to the Ohio state Senate, Governor DeWine co-sponsored a bill that sought to reinstate the death penalty in Ohio. At that time, DeWine supported the death penalty believing it would lessen violent crime. Ohio's current death penalty law has been in effect since 1981.
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2 alternative perspectives
GOP fractured over Ohio governor's death penalty abolition push
Ohio Republicans divided as Governor DeWine calls for death penalty abolition.