Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that he wants the death penalty to be abolished in the state. In a press conference, DeWine stated that he no longer believes the death penalty is a deterrent to murder.

DeWine, who helped write and vote for the death penalty as a state senator 45 years ago, now thinks it is time for a change. He believes that the legislature can take action or leave the decision to the state’s citizens.

However, any legislative repeal appears unlikely, as Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman has already expressed his opposition to such an effort. DeWine does not expect an execution to happen in his final months as governor.

Ohio has not put an inmate to death since July 18, 2018, when Robert Van Hook was executed for stabbing a man he met at a Cincinnati bar in 1985.

Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.