The Governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine, recently held a press conference in which he confirmed that he expects there will be no further executions before he leaves office. In his speech, he referenced communications from pharmaceutical companies who have educated him on the potential negative public health consequences of the diversion and misuse of medicines in executions.
As reported in the Sandusky Register:
“You know, I don’t expect executions before I leave office,” the governor said. He explained that, under Ohio law, lethal injection is the only approved method of capital punishment.
Drug companies have warned the state not to use any of their products for executions, DeWine said. “They could retaliate, which would impact our health department, other departments being able to get the drugs they need to help people in the State of Ohio,” DeWine said.
“So I’ve made that clear to the state legislature and told the state legislature that the only way that we could start executions again is if we change the law in the state which allows executions in ways other than lethal injection,” the governor said. “The legislature has not taken any action and I don’t see any indication they’re going to.”
There have been no executions in Ohio since July 18, 2018. Although there is no formal moratorium, Governor Mike DeWine has issued several reprieves due to concerns about the lethal injection protocol and the difficulty the state has had obtaining lethal injection drugs.