Post by scotkaz on Feb 17, 2008 10:38:33 GMT -5
Judge lets death row inmates join suit
A judge has allowed eight additional Ohio death row inmates, including 3
from Southwest Ohio, to join a federal lawsuit challenging the
constitutionality of the state's lethal injection procedures.
U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Frost said in a ruling Friday that the
inmates fall within a deadline for joining the lawsuit. The ruling brings
to 27 the number of condemned inmates challenging the process, or about 15
% of the 185 inmates on death row.
Because an appeals court has ruled differently on the deadline issue, the
U.S. Supreme Court must decide that matter before inmates can argue about
constitutional matters.
The inmates are Michael Beuke (Hamilton County), Richard Nields (Hamilton
County), Michael Benge (Butler County), Michael Turner (Franklin County),
Melvin Bonnell (Cuyahoga County), Maurice Mason (Marion County), Roderick
Davie (Trumbull County) and Brett Hartman (Summit County).
(source: Cincinnati Enquirer)
