John Kasich has used his magical Governor’s wand to spring one inmate from Ohio’s death row, the Republican’s first use of clemency since taking office in January. From then to now, the state has executed four inmates.
Shawn Hawkins of Cincinnati was scheduled to be executed next week for a 1989 murder involving a drug deal gone bad. According to the Columbus Dispatch, the Ohio Parole Board recommended Kasich commute the sentence because of questions swimming around Hawkins’ role in the killings.
This article appears in Jun 8-14, 2011.