Ohio death penalty update

USAToday this morning noted Ohio inmates once again asking Southern District Judge Gregory Frost find the state's rules for carrying out executions unconstitutional.-

Attorneys for the death row prisoners say the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction continues to use an arbitrary process with undertrained executioners that still gives the state too much discretion toabandon its rules at the last-minute during an execution, and thereby resulting in potentially cruel and unusual injection methods.

Judge Frost had halted the execution of Kenneth Smith back in July after agreeing that Ohio's process was haphazard and has yet to rule on the updated procedures meant to address his concerns. (Here)

Gov. John Kasich has thus far postponed two executions and granted mercy to a third inmate since Frost's ruling, and, earlier this month, the state's supreme court announced the formation of a joint task force to review state death penalty provisions to determine if changes should be made. An important caveat there is that tt won't be debating whether or not Ohio should have capital punishment. (See prior posting here)

State Rep. Terry Blair introduced legislation back in March to abolish the death penalty in Ohio and replace it with life imprisonment without parole for the worst crimes. ( HB 160 analysis)