DeWine's wish to kill death penalty should be considered

There are 27 states in which the death penalty is still legal. Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine would like to make it 26. Earlier this week he said he believed the death penalty should be abolished in the Buckeye State. His position is that the death penalty is no longer a deterrent to violent crime. "I do not believe that argument today can be successfully made, nor do I believe that there's any chance in the future the facts that I've cited to support that belief will change," he said. "Therefore, I believe Ohio should abolish the death penalty." DeWine's position is no surprise. He has repeatedly delayed scheduled executions during his time as governor. During that time, he has cited research that shows not only is the death penalty not a deterrent to crime, but it can bring years of pain to victims' loved ones and be a mental health burden on state employees who are part of execution teams. Add to that discussions about the means by which the death penalty is carried out — what is humane and effective? — and it seems as though lawmakers might have enough information to start considering the change. Extended legal processes also mean that a person who has been sentenced to the death penalty is actually more likely to die from natural causes or suicide before the arrival of an execution date. "Each decade that the death penalty has been in effect, the chances of a murderer getting executed get more and more and more remote," DeWine said. The governor's position has earned support. "In a state and country in which alternatives to execution exist, we should support punishments that are in greater conformity with the dignity of the human person, made in the image and likeness of God," Catholic Conference of Ohio Executive Director Brian Hickey said. But some lawmakers remain stubborn. It's been almost eight years since the last execution in Ohio. Neighboring West Virginia abolished the death penalty way back in 1965. It is time for lawmakers to do more than scoff at DeWine's recommendation and have some serious conversations — both among themselves AND with their constituents — about what is right for Ohio.