Ohio Governor John Kasich has rejected clemency for a condemned killer, despite Cuayhoga County prosecutor Tim McGinty's rare plea to commute his sentence to life without parole. M.L. Schultze of member station WKSU in Kent reports.
Billy Slagle was convicted in 1988 of repeatedly stabbing his neighbor, 40-year-old Mari Ann Pope, to death while she was babysitting two children in her home.
He was sentenced to death, and is scheduled to be executed on Aug. 7.
At the time of his conviction, Ohio did not offer the option of sentencing someone to life in prison with no chance of parole. And Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Tim McGinty was among those arguing that – had jurors had that option—they would have picked it over the death penalty.
By a 6-4 vote, the Ohio Parole Board disagreed earlier this month. And now, so has Gov. Kasich. McGinty spokesman Joe Frolik’s response was brief.
“We respect Gov. Kasich’s decision and the review process that led to it.”
Slagle’s defense attorneys also argued that he was a victim of alcohol and other abuse essentially from the time he was in the womb, and Slagle told the clemency board he was a gentle person and does not understand why he committed the crime.