DeWine issues more death row reprieves

VW independent staff

COLUMBUS — Citing ongoing problems involving the willingness of pharmaceutical suppliers to provide drugs necessary for lethal injections, Governor Mike DeWine issued three more reprieves of execution:

• James O’Neal, who was scheduled to be executed on August 19, 2026.  The new date of execution has been moved to August 14, 2029. He’s been on death row since 1995.
• Jerome Henderson, who was scheduled to be executed on October 21, 2026.  The new date of execution has been moved to September 18, 2029. He’s been on death row since 1985.
• Melvin Bonnell, who was scheduled to be executed on November 18, 2026.  The new date of execution has been moved to October 18, 2029. He’s been on death row since 1988 and his execution has been postponed at least three times.

Other states have continued carrying out death sentences via lethel injection, while others have changed methods, including the use of a firing squad or nitrogen gas.

Since DeWine took office in 2019, there have been no executions in Ohio.