Ohio's leading anti-death penalty group is calling on Governor John Kasich to halt future executions, including one scheduled for next month. Ohioans To Stop Executions also wants lawmakers to enact changes to the state's capital punishment system as recommended by an Ohio Supreme Court panel. A Kasich spokesperson says the governor supports the death penalty. Ohio Public Radio's Andy Chow reports.
Activists with Ohioans to Stop Executions spread out through the Statehouse to hand out letters to the governor's office and lawmakers.
During a rally, Misha Zinkow, a rabbi at Temple Israel, explained why he believed capital punishment goes against Jewish values.
Zinkow: "For at least three reasons; uncertainty in judicial conclusions, it's cruel and administered inconsistently, and because we believe in repentance over retribution."
During the three year halt in executions, Ohio did not see a drop in the murder rate. The group says that's proof that executions don't deter crime.