The death penalty in Ohio stands at a critical juncture – Matter News

For more than a year, Gov. Mike DeWine has teased an announcement related to capital punishment in the state. With his term winding down, advocates fear the time for action is beginning to run short.

The Injustice of Justice: Keith LaMar Speaks from Ohio Death Row as Movement Grows to Save His Life

We speak with death row inmate Keith LaMar live from the Ohio State Penitentiary, after the release of The Injustice of Justice, a short film about his case that just won the grand prize for best animated short film at the Golden State Film Festival. “I had to find out the hard way that in order for my life to be mine, that I had to stand up and claim it,” says LaMar, who has always maintained his innocence. LaMar was sentenced to death for participating in the murder of five fellow prisoners during a 1993 prison uprising. His trial was held in a remote Ohio community before an all-white jury. On January 13, 2027, the state intends to execute him, after subjecting him to three decades in solitary confinement. LaMar’s lawyer, Keegan Stephan, says his legal team has “discovered a lot of new evidence supporting Keith’s innocence” that should necessitate new legal avenues for LaMar to overturn the conviction.

Donate | Keith (Bomani) LaMar