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Ohio Governor’s Lethal Injection Comments Allowed in Lawsuit
By: Associated Press
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DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — A federal magistrate judge is allowing comments about the death penalty made by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to become part of a long-running lawsuit challenging Ohio’s lethal injection process.
Lawyers for death row inmates asked for the inclusion of “numerous statements” by the Republican governor that he would not authorize executions using the state’s current three-drug method.
The lawyers argued the statements weren’t barred by rules preventing the use of hearsay and that they were relevant since DeWine has said executions won’t go forward for now.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Merz in Dayton on Monday ruled in favor of allowing DeWine’s comments into the court case.
Executions have been on hold in Ohio while the prisons system looks for new supplies of lethal drugs.