Execution set for 10 a.m. today

Execution set for 10 a.m. today

By MARC KOVAC

LUCASVILLE — Mark Wiles spent his last night talking on the phone, listening to the radio and eating pizza and cheesecake in his cell at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville.

He was emotional at times in the hours before his scheduled execution, crying with his sister and brother-in-law during morning cell-front visits.

“Inmate Wiles has been respectful and compliant with staff,” said JoEllen Smith, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. “He did have a few brief moments where he became emotional upon his arrival, but his overall demeanor has been the same, which has been respectful, cooperative and compliant with our staff.”

Wiles was sentenced to death for the knifing murder of Portage County teen-ager Mark Klima more than 25 years ago, after the straight-A student caught him burglarizing his family’s Rootstown home.

Wiles stabbed the teen repeatedly, stole money and fled the state. He later turned himself into police in Savannah, Ga., signed a confession and returned to Ohio, where he was sentenced to death.

Wiles arrived at the Death House Tuesday morning, spent the day talking on the phone, writing letters and listening to the radio. He visited with two sisters, a brother-in-law and one of his attorneys during the early evening, then returned to his cell for his special meal, eating three slices of pepperoni pizza, strawberries and vanilla wafers. He declined Cheetos, three other slices of pizza and a salad he had earlier requested.

Throughout the night, Wiles talked on the phone with a friend and a nephew.

“Throughout the course of the night, the inmate did not sleep,” Smith said.

Wiles showered, declined the standard prison-issue breakfast and began cell-front visits at around 7 a.m., including saying the rosary with his spiritual adviser.

His lethal injection is set for 10 a.m. There are no pending legal challenges.