DeWine Moves to Clear Ohio’s Death Row Before He Leaves Office — Prosecutors Push Back
COLUMBUS — Gov. Mike DeWine has taken steps toward commuting multiple Ohio death sentences in the final weeks of his administration, the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association announced Monday, Nov. 9, 2026.
The Ohio Parole Board has notified county prosecutors that it will review at least five death-row cases, with clemency hearings scheduled in December for Denny Obermiller, Melvin Bonnell, Freddie McNeill and Stanley Jalowiec. A mid-December interview is also scheduled for Victoria Drain.
The hearings are the first step in a process that could remove the five from death row before DeWine leaves office in January. No commutation has been granted in these cases yet, and the governor cannot act until the parole board completes its reviews and makes its recommendations.
DeWine has spoken publicly about his concerns with the death penalty. Months ago, he called on state lawmakers to end capital punishment in Ohio, arguing that the system is slow, expensive and does not deter crime. He also commuted the death sentence of Gregory Lott earlier this year.
Prosecutors are pushing back against the move. The Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association announced the parole board’s notices on Monday, and prosecutors object to commuting the sentences. County prosecutors were notified of the reviews so they can present their positions at the clemency hearings, where they are expected to argue against commutation in the cases from their counties.
The ACLU of Ohio took the opposite position, issuing a statement on Nov. 9 supporting commutations. The organization said it supports DeWine’s move to commute the sentences, framing clemency as a step toward ending the use of the death penalty in Ohio.
The disagreement reflects a long-running divide over capital punishment in the state. Supporters of commutation point to the cost and length of death-penalty cases and to the fact that Ohio has not carried out an execution since 2018. Prosecutors who oppose commutation say the sentences were imposed by juries and courts after convictions for serious crimes, and that they should stand.
For now, the cases will proceed through the parole board. The board will hold the December hearings and the interview for Drain, hear from prosecutors and others involved in the cases, and then send its recommendations to DeWine. The governor will make the final decision on whether to commute any of the sentences.
Photo: The Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0. Photo by Alexander Smith.
Sources: The Columbus Dispatch; NewsLocker
