More on ABA Ohio Death Penalty Assessment Report:  Reginald Fields has this article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, entitled "ABA faults Ohio's death penalty system, urges moratorium; ABA asks Gov. Strickland to suspend executions pending review."  Alan Johnson has this story in the Columbus Dispatch, entitled "State's system called unjust; Bar association seeks moratorium in Ohio."  Mark Kovac has this article in the Wooster Daily Record, entitled "Attorneys call for temporary halt to executions."  Jim Provance has this article in the Toledo Blade, entitled "Ohio asked to suspend executions; Bar association panel seeks halt until system's fairness ensured."  Jon Craig and Sharon Coolidge have this article in the Cincinnati Enquirer, entitled "Study: Suspend executions; Report singles out Deters for criticism."  Laura Bischoff has this article in the Dayton Daily News, entitled "Strickland asked to halt executions — for now."

Plain Dealer excerpt:
A number of Ohio death row inmates - some of whom have already been executed - were victims of a flawed and uneven capital punishment system that should be suspended, a national legal group said Monday.

The influential American Bar Association, with over 413,000 members, called on Gov. Ted Strickland to implement a death penalty moratorium.

...Strickland was not immediately swayed by the Ohio report.

The governor continues to support Ohio's death penalty system and believes it is administered fairly, Strickland spokesman Keith Dailey said. But the governor will take the moratorium request under consideration.

State Attorney General Marc Dann, who has suggested that Ohio study whether there are biases in its capital punishment system, and Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Moyer both said they will review the report. ...

Toledo Blade excerpt:
...No promises were forthcoming from Mr. Strickland, a Democratic governor and former prison psychologist who has allowed two executions to proceed during the first months of his administration.

"The governor supports the death penalty," said spokesman Keith Dailey. "He believes certain members of society commit acts so heinous that the death penalty or capital punishment is warranted. Given that the governor is knowledgeable of the system, he thinks it's fair, but he will carefully review this report." ...

Dispatch excerpt:
...Strickland spokesman Keith Dailey said the governor has no plans for a moratorium.

"The governor wouldn't support the death penalty in Ohio if he didn't think it was administered fairly," Dailey said.

Leo Jennings III, spokesman for Attorney General Marc Dann, was noncommittal. "We will read the report carefully and consider their recommendations."

Online polls/comment solicitations:

• The Columbus Dispatch is conducting an online poll, asking the question, "Should Ohio eliminate the death penalty?"  You can vote here.  (As of this posting, poll results showed 53-47% in favor of elimination.)
• The Cincinnati Enquirer is conducting an online survey/comment solicitation asking the question, "Should Ohio Suspend Executions?"  You can submit a comment here.
• The Dayton Daily News website is soliciting comments on the ABA report here.