Ohio Republican governor urges end to death penalty, saying it cannot be morally justified

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced on Tuesday his support for abolishing the state's death penalty, reversing a stance he held for over 45 years. DeWine, who co-authored the bill to reinstate capital punishment in Ohio, stated that he no longer believes the death penalty serves as a deterrent to murder and that its moral justification has disappeared. He expressed that the death penalty has not improved public safety and that the ethical basis for its implementation is no longer valid for him. This shift in position comes as Ohio has faced challenges in carrying out executions, with a moratorium in place since February 2023 due to difficulties in obtaining lethal injection drugs. The state has not executed an inmate since 2018. DeWine's call for abolition adds to a growing national conversation about capital punishment, with several states having recently moved to end or pause executions.