COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A prosecutor says he expects lawsuits following the passage of an updated lethal injection law that will make it impossible to carry out the Feb. 11 execution of a condemned child killer as planned.
Brad Gessner, chief counsel of the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, says regardless of what happens with the pending legislation opponents will do whatever they can to stop the execution of Ronald Phillips.
Gessner said Thursday his office is not counting on the execution taking place, while saying Phillips’ case, dating to 1993, has gone on long enough.
The legislation is up for a final Senate vote Thursday. It would shield the names of companies that provide lethal injection drugs to Ohio, a provision that supporters say is necessary to obtain supplies of the drugs.
