News & Commentary

Pope Francis was a clear and consistent voice on several issues the ACLU of Ohio champions.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has been vocal in his support for resuming executions, without regard for the death penalty’s many flaws.

You may have heard through the proverbial grapevine that a group of legislators is taking an unusual (not to mention unconstitutional!) approach to death penalty repeal legislation this General Assembly.

October 10 marks World Day Against the Death Penalty. This year, the annual observance day comes on the heels of five recent executions that were carried out in the span of a week.

Chair Manning, Vice Chair Reynolds, Ranking Member Hicks-Hudson, and
members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, thank you for the opportunity to
provide written proponent testimony on Senate Bill (SB) 101, which would
abolish Ohio’s death penalty.

Since the reinstatement of Ohio’s capital punishment statute in 1974, the ACLU of Ohio has vigorously supported ending the death penalty once and for all.

While we look towards continuing this fight, ACLU of Ohio staff members reflect on the historic achievements we’ve made, and the hope we have for abolition in the future.

As many Ohioans prepare to celebrate Passover and Easter, it is a fitting time to reflect on a continued injustice that folks from across the faith spectrum are mobilizing in growing numbers to repeal – Ohio’s death penalty.

The death penalty is nothing more than the modern version of the most shameful, vengeful, mob violence this country ever produced—a racist policy that cannot be fixed and must be abolished for Ohio to have any hope for justice.