Gov. Mike DeWine is urging lawmakers to repeal the death penalty more than four decades after he helped bring capital punishment back to Ohio. In a June 16 news conference, DeWine said he no longer believes the death penalty is a deterrent for violent crime. The cases move slowly and come with too much uncertainty to prevent others from killing, he argued. "The moral justification I had for voting for the death penalty simply no longer exists," DeWine said. "For the state to take a human life, there must be evidence that in doing so, it will help protect the public, that the threat of that action will deter someone from committing murder." DeWine's comments marked the end of a long journey for a Catholic who co-sponsored the 1981 death penalty law, then represented the state in capital cases as attorney general. But it's unclear whether his change of heart has any teeth. Read the full story at the link in our bio. (📸: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch) #ohio #dewine #ohiopolitics