Death penalty supporters, opponents write Ohio governor's office

[Algorem]

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/16723023.htm

ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio - In one of the nation's busiest death penalty states, letters to Gov. Ted Strickland are running almost 5 to 1 in favor of ending capital punishment or temporarily stopping it to study the system.

Strickland supports the death penalty, but almost immediately after taking office, he delayed the executions of three condemned killers while he reviewed their cases. The decision resonated in Ohio, where former Gov. Bob Taft let 24 executions proceed with little hesitation.

An Associated Press review of correspondence Strickland received since his election and running through Feb. 15 found 125 letters or e-mails from death penalty opponents. That number does not include letters asking for specific killers to be freed without reference to the writer's position on the death penalty.

"Killing people is wrong. Please end the death penalty in Ohio," Gerald and Andrea Breen of Cincinnati said in a handwritten note on Jan. 20...


Gov. Ted Strickland: http://governor.ohio.gov/

Gov. Tim Kaine: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/index.cfm


Letters to governor from death penalty supporters, opponents

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/news/state/16723038.htm

A sampling of comments from death penalty supporters and opponents sent to Gov. Ted Strickland since the Democrat's November election:

From capital punishment opponents:

"There are just too many questions about the death penalty to believe it is just or humane."

_Jan. 12 e-mail from Jennifer Stewart, of Stow in northeast Ohio...