Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today released the following statement regarding his decision to issue a reprieve of Tuesday’s scheduled execution and reprieves for the two executions scheduled in February:
“In order to conduct a review that is as thorough and comprehensive as the previous administration pursued before death penalties were implemented, I have decided to issue reprieves as follows:
-- Kenneth Biros until Tuesday, March 20, 2007
-- James J. Filiaggi until Tuesday, April 24, 2007
-- Christopher J. Newton until Thursday, May 24, 2007.”
The full text of the warrants of reprieve signed today is as follows:
State of Ohio
Office of the Governor
Warrants of Reprieve
1. Kenneth Biros is currently in the custody of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, has been sentenced to death, and is scheduled to be executed on January 23, 2007.
2. James J. Filiaggi is currently in the custody of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, has been sentenced to death, and is scheduled to be executed on February 13, 2007.
3. Christopher J. Newton is currently in the custody of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, has been sentenced to death, and is scheduled to be executed on February 27, 2007.
4. During my tenure as Governor, before I allow an execution to proceed, my staff and I will have conducted a comprehensive, thorough and searching review of the case to determine if any exercise of executive clemency is appropriate. The brief time I have been Governor has not allowed me sufficient time to conduct that type of review and there is not sufficient time before these scheduled executions to complete that type of review.
5. Accordingly, I direct that the sentences of death in the three cases listed above be reprieved as follows:
a. Kenneth Biros until Tuesday, March 20, 2007.
b. James J. Filiaggi until Tuesday, April 24, 2007.
c. Christopher J. Newton until, Thursday, May 24, 2007.
6. Mr. Biros, Mr. Filiaggi and Mr. Newton should remain incarcerated in the custody of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. The Department should carry out their sentences on the last date of their respective reprieves at a time established on that day by the Department.
7. I signed these Warrants of Reprieve on January 19, 2007 in Columbus, Ohio.
Ted Strickland, Governor